Body found Wednesday in canal behind home in St. Lucie County

ST. LUCIE COUNTY — Sheriff’s officials Wednesday recovered a body from a small canal behind a home at Northeast Solida Circle and Northeast Floresta Drive.

Sheriff Ken Mascara Wednesday afternoon said it was too early to determine whether the death is the result of a crime. The body looks to be that of a white man between about 20 and 40 years old, he said.

“We'll be removing the body shortly, taking it to the medical examiner where we hope a positive identification will occur,” Mascara said, standing at the scene.

The canal is between a CVS Pharmacy and the home of Maureen McGuire, 83, who said she made the discovery.

McGuire, standing behind yellow crime scene tape in her yard, said she thought it was a manatee.

“I go out every morning and look in the canal. I've had dead manatees back there before,” said McGuire, who said she’s lived there 30 years. “I called a neighbor to come on and tell me that it was a manatee and he said, ‘Yeah, call animal control,’ and I did.”

Mascara said Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officials arrived and determined it was a human body.

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Deputies went to the scene about 1:45 p.m.

Mascara said a large alligator lives in the canal, and a patrol deputy stood by with a rifle as dive team officials worked to retrieve the body.

The grass back yard area of the home was crowded with sheriff’s officials Wednesday afternoon. Many stood under a blue tent-like structure.

“We definitely want to let our community know as soon as we know who it is and what the circumstances were for this loss of life,” Mascara said.

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Will Greenlee is a breaking news reporter for TCPalm. Follow Will on Twitter @OffTheBeatTweet or reach him by phone at 772-267-7926. E-mail him at will.greenlee@tcpalm.com

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This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Body found in St. Lucie County canal; resident thought it was a manatee