A male body, estimated to be decaying for five to seven days, was found in northwest Gainesville on Wednesday evening.
A shotgun and a walking cane were found next to the body in Alfred A. Ring Park in an area off of the boardwalk halfway down the trail.
Authorities said at around 6:30 p.m., they received a call from a man who said he found the body after his wife noticed an unusual odor while walking through the park.
Gainesville Police Department Sgt. Martin Krpan, who heads the Forensic Unit, said the body would not be removed until morning, when it is safer and visibility is better.
"We want to be as thorough as possible," he said.
He said the body could not yet be identified, nor could the man's age, and it will take DNA records and dental records to do so.
Krpan said the cause of death could not be determined.
