Police in Monteagle, Tennessee, and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation are investigating the discovery of a body Monday morning off of Interstate 24 inside the city limits of the mountaintop town.
"We had a body recovered yesterday, and it's under investigation," Monteagle Police Department officer William Barker said Tuesday.
A passing trucker spotted the body about 8:20 a.m. CDT Monday and notified authorities, Barker said. Monteagle is a popular location for truckers with two truck stops at exit 135.
The body was found near the exit 135 off ramp, Barker said. The Marion County Sheriff's Office and the Grundy County Sheriff's Office are assisting in the investigation, he said. The town of Monteagle is divided three ways by Franklin, Grundy and Marion counties. The body was in the Marion County portion of town, police said.
Marion County Sheriff Ronnie "Bo" Burnette said detective Gene Hargis was assisting fellow agencies in the investigation and that the city is leading the case with the TBI.
Barker said there had been no determination on whether foul play is involved, so far.
"We haven't heard back from the autopsy so we're kind of playing a waiting game," Baker said.
Contact Ben Benton at bbenton@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6569. Follow him on Twitter @BenBenton or at www.facebook.com/benbenton1.