Modesto PD investigating body found in canal by Virginia Corridor trail and Stoddard Avenue
The Modesto fire and police departments responded Monday morning to reports of a body seen in an irrigation canal roughly 75 yards from the bridge connecting the Virginia Corridor Trail to Stoddard Avenue.
At 10:30 a.m., firefighters and a police officer watched over the body, covered in a yellow tarp, while waiting for investigators to arrive.
The investigation is ongoing, said Police Department spokeswoman Sharon Bear.
Resident Terry Codoni, 68, said he and his wife didn’t make the call but watched as firefighters and EMT pronounced the person dead.
“We didn’t get too close, but it looked like a female. There were no pants on their legs and the head was underwater,” Codoni said.
Many unhoused people “hang out” in the canal when it’s not being used to carry water, Codoni said. He’s seen people bring couches down into the waterway and has noticed Modesto Irrigation District workers cleaning encampments in the area.
Monday, there was a small amount of water in the canal, apparently from recent rains.
This article will be updated as information becomes available.
