RICHMOND, Va (WTVR) -- There are still unanswered questions surrounding a body found along the slave trail at Ancarrow’s Landing early Thursday evening. The area where the body was found is along the James River where there is one way in, and one way out.
Investigators are still trying to determine if the decomposing body discovered by a city worker around 4:00 p.m. Thursday, is that of Paresh Patel.
Patel was abducted from outside his Jefferson Davis Highway gas station early Sunday morning, and has not been seen or heard from since.
At this time Richmond Police have not identified the body.
In addition to Richmond Police investigating, Chesterfield detectives and the FBI were also on hand trying to piece together if the body discovered is connected to the Patel case.
A close friend of the Patel family told CBS 6 News Reporter Jerrita Patterson police have spoken with the family, only to tell them an unidentified body was discovered. The family friend said they are still waiting to hear back from detectives--who have only said it is too early to rule anything out.
"Chesterfield came onto the scene," confirmed Richmond Police spokesman James Mercante. "When a jurisdiction nearby has someone missing, for example, and Richmond Police find a body they will call in--as a courtesy--these detectives to take a look to see if perhaps it has something to do with their case. So other resources were called in as well. So hopefully this will aid in getting the conclusion that we want."
Anyone with information that could help investigators is urged to call Crime Stoppers at (804) 780-1000.
Stay with CBS 6 News and WTVR.com for continuing coverage of this story.
