UPDATE: Police Say Body Found in Woods Likely a Man

St. Louis County police said Wednesday the body discovered in a group of trees behind a shopping center at Lindbergh Boulevard and Baptist Church Road is a man. It appeared to be a white man.

Two teens reported the find at about 7 p.m. on Tuesday. Police were working Wednesday to determine an identity.

Tuesday, police said the gender of the body was unclear because of decomposition. Speculation was the body may have been there more than a month.

A St. Louis County medical examiner was on the case to determine cause of death, and possible time of death. Early indications were no foul play, but that has yet to be determined officially.

Locals said the location was behind Shogun Japanese Steak House and Burger King—on the southwest corner—in a strip of trees, where people cut through from Concord Village Road to shopping.

The undeveloped patch of grass and trees is a potential haven for the homeless to build shelters—boxes, tarps or tent-like structures have been seen in the area where the body was found, a former local resident said.

Others frequently walked dogs in that area.

The area is unincorporated St. Louis County, but some may consider it Concord Village. It is just south on Lindbergh Boulevard of Ronnie's 20 Cine movie theater.

St. Louis County police from the 3rd Precinct in Affton were working the case. The body was removed Tuesday after detectives investigated the scene.