A body was found in a drainage ditch in the 1600 block of Las Virgenes Canyon Road on Wednesday, May 16, in Calabasas, just a few miles up the road from Malibu.
The passerby who first discovered the scene reported the incident to Lost Hills/Malibu Sheriff’s Station at around 11:43 a.m. According to a report from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, the passerby came across an adult male, who was unresponsive and later pronounced dead on scene. Part of the road was sectioned off as detectives investigated the scene; it is unclear how long the man had been there.
He was found in close vicinity of the Malibu Hindu Temple but, according to reports, a person working at the temple said the body was not found on its premise.
Further information about the victim and cause of death will be released by the LA County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner. The office was not available for comment by the time The Malibu Times went to print.
Other details of the case were also unknown as of Tuesday, May 22.
According to CBS2 News, LA County Sheriff’s Department Homicide Bureau Lt. Scott Hugland said, “It’s hard to say whether or not he was dumped here or if the crime occurred here.”
The sheriff’s department was still uncertain whether gang activity led to the death.
Earlier this year, a decomposed body was found in Malibu Bluffs Park, leading to the arrest of a man charged with murder in that case.
The homicide bureau is leading the ongoing investigation into the body found on Las Virgenes Road. Anyone with information is advised to contact the bureau at 323.890.5500 or anonymously at 800.222.8477.