Body found near South Lake Tahoe

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE - A resident walking with family through Barton Meadow found what police believe to be human remains just before 6 p.m. Thursday.

The witness notified the South Lake Tahoe Police Department, and responding officers confirmed the remains were that of a human being, said Lt. Martin Hale of the South Lake Tahoe Police Department.

Because of the condition of the body, no determination as to identification or gender has been made. Further investigation will be completed to determine how long the body has been in the meadow and what the cause of death may be, Hale said.

A man who lives behind Barton Meadows in South Lake Tahoe thinks the remains might be those of a homeless woman he's often seen.

Scott Ludovissy, who lives on Helen Street, said he has seen a woman, described as blond, between 50-60 years old, in the meadow. The last time he saw her was on Tuesday night when he was walking his dog.

Ludovissy said he sometimes sees the woman with a man, and often sees homeless people in the meadow as his home backs up to it.

"I've seen her a lot, mostly over the summer, but I've seen her a couple times lately. She was sometimes with this other guy and she would carry garbage bags full of blankets and stuff," Ludovissy said.

Ludovissy said he was walking his dog on Tuesday and saw the woman with the garbage bags. She appeared to be stumbling, he said. Later Tuesday it snowed and he said he didn't think anything of it until he saw police scouring the meadow last night.

Police are using metal detectors and dogs as they investigated the remains of the body that was discovered by a person walking in the meadow.

Investigators are hopeful that DNA and forensic testing conducted by the crime lab and the Sacramento County Coroner's Office will verify the identity and cause of death.

Anyone with information concerning this person or related information is asked to contact Detective David Allen at the South Lake Tahoe Police Department at (530) 542-6134.

If you have information

Anyone with information concerning this person or related information is asked to contact Detective David Allen at the South Lake Tahoe Police Department at (530) 542-6134.