Denver police say they are looking into a death discovered Thursday outdoors in the 800 block of Sherman Street, after an alert went out on social media. Officials have not released the victim's name or the cause of death, and say the Denver Office of the Medical Examiner will examine the body.
What police have said
According to the Denver Police Dept., officers are conducting an "outdoor death investigation" in the 800 block of Sherman Street. The department says the Office of the Medical Examiner will determine the cause and manner of death.
The post also notes that the department will update that same thread only if the case is upgraded to a homicide, and reminds followers that the account is not monitored around the clock.
Role of the medical examiner
The Denver Office of the Medical Examiner investigates deaths that must be reported under state law and is responsible for certifying both the cause and manner of death. The office notes that autopsies and formal reports can take weeks, and it releases case summaries or findings once definitive information is available.
How an outdoor-death probe can change
Cases that start as outdoor death investigations do not always stay that way. In one earlier example, Denver7 reported that an initial outdoor-death alert near Sloan's Lake was later updated to a homicide investigation, highlighting how a case status can shift as new evidence and medical findings come in.
What to expect next
People living or working near Sherman Street may continue to see a police presence while investigators and the medical examiner finish their work. Anyone with information is urged to call the Denver Police Department's non-emergency line or dial 911 in an emergency, according to the Denver Police Department.
