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Man's Body Found Burned In Shallow Grave

MERCER COUNTY (KDKA) -- Police in the Shenango Township area are reviewing missing person reports, and while investigators remain pretty much tight-lipped about what they know, there's no doubt they have a homicide investigation on their hands.

Human remains were found in a shallow grave on private property on the Mercer-West Middlesex Road in Shenango Township. Multiple police agencies are involved in the investigation, along with a forensic anthropologist from Erie, and the Mercer County Coroner.

Sources told KDKA-TV's Ralph Iannotti that the body is that of a man, and there were signs that the body was at least partially burned. We don't know who found the body and notified police.

Ryan Siege, who lives next door to where the body was unearthed said, "It's definitely surprising, and it's also scary; you don't want to think something like that can happen around here, it's a safe neighborhood."

Lisa Washington's Report:

Siege and his family have lived in this area for over a year.

He spoke highly of the property owner who lives next to him, but he said he's noticed some new faces on his neighbor's property recently.

"My neighbor likes his privacy, and he's also very nice," Siege said. "He'd give you the shirt off his back, he'd do anything for you ... Some squatters have been living in an old house on the property."

Siege said he first noticed the newcomers about a couple of weeks ago.

Sources say police are making progress in their investigation. An autopsy will be done Thursday in Erie. And, police in Shenango will hold a news conference Thursday morning where we expect to learn to more about the case.

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