Major Crime investigating discovery of body at vacant Salisbury South block

Detectives are examining trees, bushes and barrels at the rear of a vacant block in Salisbury South, where human remains were found by a worker clearing long grass on Monday.

Crime-scene detectives have returned to the spot where a decomposing body was discovered on a vacant block at Salisbury South.

A marked crime-scene investigations van joined a police vehicle on Tuesday that was already at the scene.

Detectives were seen examining a group of trees and shrubs towards the back of the paddock, moving into the area with whipper snippers.

They also showed interest in barrels near those shrubs on the block.

Police cut back bushes and trees at the rear of a vacant paddock in Salisbury South, where a decomposed body was found on Tuesday. Picture: Brenton Edwards

Police search through trees for more evidence. Picture: Brenton Edwards

Detectives were also seen examining barrels on the property. Picture: Brenton Edwards

Police examine barrels left the rear of the vacant block. Picture: Brenton Edwards

Around 9:20am a black Special Tasks and Rescue (STAR) vehicle arrived at the vacant block.

Officers could be seen using what looked like a metal detector device in and around the trees.

A neighbouring business believes the piece of land is owned by Mullins Wheels, the organisation to the left of the block.

The business who wishes to remain anonymous also said the gardener who mowed the grass is an employee of the wheel sale and distribution business.

It is believed, other neighbouring businesses Border Express and Premium Fence have supplied CCTV footage to authorities.

The human remains, discovered on a vacant block on Chevoit Rd in Adelaide’s northern suburbs on Monday, are “too decomposed” to determine the sex or age of the victim, police say.

The gruesome discovery was made by a worker clearing long grass at the Salisbury South who alerted police just before 2pm.

Detective Inspector Brett Featherby said grass on the block was last mowed in March this year and was more than a metre and a half high when the remains were found.

REPLAY MONDAY’S PRESS CONFERENCE

Owner of nearby business Minuteman Press Kevin Boyle said “it’s not really a place you’d have an accident”.

“You don’t really find someone that far off the road, in a paddock that’s overgrown without something being a bit suss,” he said.

Mr Boyle said the block has been empty for about 10 years and had never been well-maintained.

“That grass grows really quickly, so it wouldn’t take long to get a metre or so high,” he said.

The nearby streets are also known as a dumping ground for various rubbish, including marijuana waste and old mattresses.

“The council comes by on Mondays to clean it up,” Mr Boyle said.

The area is also mostly industrial, but is subject to frequent traffic.

“There’s lots of trucks, but people come and go … couriers, Ubers, people park up there for lunch,” Mr Boyle said.

“There’s hoons around, I’ve seen police set up right near the field with radars.”

Officers and detectives at the scene where human remains were discovered at a vacant block in Salisbury South. Picture: Tom Huntley

SES volunteers search the scene for more evidence. Picture: Tom Huntley

While it was unclear how long the remains had been on the property, they were not believed to have been on the site when it was last mowed.

Police are treating the death as suspicious.

“The remains are in such a state of decomposition that we cannot tell the sex or the age of the deceased, and we don’t know how long the deceased has been in this location,” Det Insp Featherby said.

“We’re going to have to require forensic testing to actually identify who the person is that we’ve located today.”

On Tuesday afternoon, two men were seen exiting Mullins Wheels around 12:30pmto lock the gate on the vacant block, talk to those in the SAPOL van at the site and return to work.

They declined to comment.

Police at Chevoit Rd, Salisbury South, where human remains have been found. Picture: 7NEWS

Police at Chevoit Rd, Salisbury South, where human remains have been found. Picture: Kitty Barr

The worker also found items not present when the grass was last mowed, police said.

Northern District CIB members, Major Crime and forensic police were expected to be on the scene “for some time”, with Chevoit Rd closed to traffic on Monday night.

The paddock and surrounds of the vacant block will be searched.

“Due to the nature of the circumstances and the fact the circumstances around the deceased are suspicious, Major Crime will be taking carriage of this operation,” Det Insp Featherby said.

Police at the scene where human remains were discovered at a vacant block in Salisbury South. Picture: Tom Huntley

“It’s very early in the investigation and we can’t say much else at this time.”

Det Insp Featherby said CCTV in the area was being canvassed to identify what movements might have been on the property in preceding months.

Police are appealing for any members of the public who saw anyone acting suspiciously at 23 Cheviot Road in the past months to contact them on 1800 333 000.

A man from a neighbouring business said he was shocked by the news.

“It sounds terrible … it’s a bit of a shock,” he said.

The business owner said the industrial area can get quiet at times.

“It’s flat out around here during the week, but on the weekend it’s very quiet,” he said.

Anyone with information that may assist the investigation is asked to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or online at www.crimestopperssa.com.au