Body found by Caltrans crew not a homicide victim, Modesto police say

A California Department of Transportation crew found a body Wednesday morning in an area of vegetation between Highway 99 and the American Budget Inn & Suites on Kansas Avenue.

Modesto police initially called the death suspicious, but by midafternoon said they do not believe it’s a homicide case.

Police were dispatched to the motel at 722 Kansas in the 6 a.m. hour. The body apparently was in a ditch in the area of grass and trees east of the motel. Detectives looked around a piece of Caltrans heavy equipment parked nearby, and Caltrans workers stood with their trucks just outside the crime scene tape in the vegetation area.

Police have released no information on the body: gender, age estimate, or anything on apparent cause of death. Wednesday afternoon, they were working to identify the person and notify family. An autopsy will determine cause of death.

This story was originally published August 1, 2018 at 8:52 AM.