A person walking behind the Aldi on Central Avenue in Ilion stumbled onto a grim discovery Wednesday afternoon: the body of an adult man lying in the woods near the exit ramp to State Route 5S. Ilion police responded to the scene at roughly 4:30 p.m. after receiving the report, launching an investigation that remained active as of Thursday.
Ilion Police Chief Laurie Ann DeVaul said the body was found in the wooded area between the store and the highway ramp, according to cnyhomepage.com. DeVaul identified the man as an adult male, saying his identity was being withheld pending notification of next of kin. The Aldi sits at 166 Central Ave. in the Herkimer County village, as reported by Syracuse.com.
DeVaul said police had identified the man but were withholding his name pending notification of next of kin. A separate report from wktv.com said authorities might have more information on Thursday.
Coroner Removed the Body, Autopsy Set for Friday
Herkimer County Coroner Kevin Enea responded to the scene and removed the body, the station's report notes. An autopsy has been scheduled for Friday, November 6, to determine the cause of death. The Ilion Fire Department was also called in to assist Ilion Police throughout the process, per the same account.
Ilion Police say the investigation into the man's death remains ongoing, and no additional details about the circumstances surrounding his death have been released. The village sits along the Mohawk River corridor in Herkimer County, and the Aldi on Central Avenue is near the Route 5S interchange.
