KTTC Rochester, Austin, Mason City News, Weather and SportsFather, son who find human remains still in shock

Father, son who find human remains still in shock

ROCHESTER, Minn. (KTTC DT) -- A father and son are still in shock after making a disturbing discovery. The two stumbled upon human remains in a wooded part of northeast Rochester, not far from their home.

Police think they know who the person is, but they have yet to positively identify the partially decomposed body that Josh Donovan said was propped up against a tree.

Donovan and his dad first made the discovery Wednesday night while on a hike, searching the woods for deer antlers.

"But then I realized there was the whole body laying five feet away," says Josh.

What they found in the woods behind their house in northeast Rochester was not what they were looking for.

"Right now every time I think about it, just kind of chills."

Rochester Police said Thursday, the body is a male but haven't yet made a positive identification, nor would they say how long the man had been dead.

The goal of Investigators on scene Thursday was to collect all the remains and send them to the Olmsted County Coroner's Office.

Called a "rarity" by police, the investigation into the dead body continues.

As for Josh Donovan, he says he'll go back in the woods, but after such a gruesome discovery says, he'll be staying away from the spot where he found the body.

"It's not going to stop me from going into the woods, but every time I'm in the woods it will bother me."

Investigators say the body does not show any signs of injury.

Josh and his dad said it appeared to them the man sat down below the tree and never got up again.