Shelby County Sheriff’s Detectives are trying to identify a man’s body that was found this afternoon in North Shelby County not far from North Watkins and Highway 51.

A man riding a bicycle along North Watkins discovered the man’s body about one o’clock.  The body was partially submerged in a backwater area of the Loosahatchie River.

The man was black but no other information is known about him.  Sheriff’s Detectives are checking missing person files and consulting with other law enforcement agencies to possibly identify the man.

The Shelby County Medical Examiner will conduct an autopsy to determine how the man died and how long the body might have been in the backwater area along North Watkins.

Fishermen have been known to visit the backwaters area.  However, no boat or fishing gear was found near the man’s body.

Anyone with information about the case is asked to call the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office at (901) 379-7625 or Crime Stoppers at (901) 528-CASH (2274).