Body Found By Hikers In River Forest's Thatcher Woods

RIVER FOREST (CBS) -- The body of a 19-year-old man who had been shot to death was found by hikers Monday afternoon in a forest preserve in west suburban River Forest.

The two hikers came upon two bags just before 2 p.m. near the trail in Thatcher Woods at Thatcher Avenue and Division Street, according to Cook County sheriff's office spokeswoman Sophia Ansari.

One of the bags contained clothing and the other had the remains of the man in an advanced state of decomposition.

Ansari said the investigation was ongoing, but Cook County sheriff's police were "leaning toward a homicide investigation."

Preliminary autopsy results indicate the man died of a gunshot wound to the abdomen and his death was ruled a homicide, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office.

The medical examiner's office did not release the man's name pending notification of family.