MARION COUNTY, Fla. – Marion County detectives assisted the Florida Department of Law Enforcement overnight with a death investigation in Marion Oaks, according to the sheriff’s office.
Deputies responded around 2 p.m. Friday to the 3200 block of SW 27th Circle, where they were told human remains may be present on the property, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement.
An extensive search led to the recovery of the remains, the statement reads, adding there was no evidence to suggest the remains were related to any active case within the sheriff’s office.
News 6’s Jayna Manohalal went to the area on Sunday to hear from locals.
“Terrible. Kind of like... it’s terrible,” said Edward Motely, a Marion Oaks resident.
Teenagers Scot Helms and Elijah Santos drove past the area Friday afternoon and now say they feel it’s unsafe.
“Because it’s dead bodies being found the back of the road. Me and my friends be around here. That could have been one of us,” Santos said.
Residents we spoke to who chose to remain anonymous said they are concerned for the kids in the area.
While FDLE has not released an official statement on the cause of the death investigation, Motely believes it could be a result of homelessness.
“There’s definitely homeless people around Marion County — especially in this Marion Oaks region for sure. I don’t know who it could possibly be, but it’s terrible,” Motely said.
An investigation is ongoing, the sheriff’s office said Saturday on social media.
Note: This map depicts the general area of this scene and not an exact location.