SALT LAKE CITY -- It was a walk neither women could have imagined. Alongside the Jordan River in Rose Park, near 800 North, they spotted at body near the water’s edge.
"We seen a guy just laying there," Leighann said.
"We thought maybe he was just sleeping or something at first but then when we seen that he had blood on the back of his head, that's when I called the cops," Mary said.
Leighann said Mary was shook up and dispatchers asked her to see if the man was conscious.
"I walked down there and there was just blood all over the side of his face," Leighann said.
Police are investigating the death as a possible shooting. They have not confirmed if gunshot wounds were present, instead saying only that the body showed obvious signs of trauma.
"It's not clear that there's a weapon there but based on where he is in relation to the river, you know, a weapon could be in the river still," said Detective Greg Wilking with Salt Lake City Police.
According to investigators, the body is of a man in his late 20’s to early 30’s. He was found on the east side of the river, near the water’s edge next to Riverside Park. It’s a place Mary knows well.
"I take my grandkids to the park right here,” Mary said.
Hours after the discovery, the reality seems to be setting in for both women.
"Now that I've walked away, I've started to get into more of a panic and more sweaty and more nervous," Leighann said.
As police continue to gather evidence, both women start to think of a family that will be dealing with heartbreak.
"It's horrible. I can imagine how this poor kids parents are going to feel when they find out, I mean it would just be horrible to find out, you know that something like this happened to one of your kids,” said Mary.
