The Lost and the Found

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Body believed homicide victim

By Robert Perkins
Union Staff

GRANBY Hampshire-Franklin District Attorney John Callahan said Thursday a decomposed body discovered off Route 116 here Wednesday afternoon was an apparent homicide victim.

Callahan said there were signs of injury to the body which was discovered by a person cutting wood.

Dr. William Dean, medical examiner, and a state pathologist were scheduled to perform an autopsy to determine the cause of death and identity of the victim.

Granby Police Chief John R. Kirchhof siad Thursday the body was discovered about one-eighth of a mile from Amherst Road, one-half mile south of Route 116.

Clothing discovered with the body indicated it was a female. However, the body was so decomposed that "about the only thing left is a skeleton," Kirchhof said.

He said no identification was found on the body or clothing and that police were hoping the autopsy would help identify the person.

Kirchhof declined to comment on Callahan's statemen that the District Attorney's office is viewing the death as a homicide.

The body was discovered about 5 p.m. Wednesday afternoon near a gravel pit in a heavily wooded area of this Hampshire County community.

The area where the body was found is about half way between Five Corners in Granby and the Route 116 "Notch" leading into Amherst.

The body was removed to the Ryder Funeral Home in South Hadley Falls, where the autopsy was to be performed.

Granby police said they had no reports of missing persons from their community who would fit the sketchy information they had about the remains.

Kirchof said that no pocketbook, wallet or other material that would give a clue to the identity of the dead person was found.

The chief said the death is being investigated by both Granby police and Callahan's office.