Death Investigation: Body Found Near Vestal Rail Trail

Authorities are trying to determine the circumstances surrounding the death of a person whose body was discovered near the Vestal Rail Trail.

Vestal police and medics were sent to the popular walking and biking path Saturday afternoon after a person spotted the body. It was located in the area of a small creek behind what had been the A&W and Long John Silver's restaurant on the Vestal Parkway East.

Police Captain Corey Shirley said the call was received at 2:14 p.m. He said the body was that of a man who was believed to be around 70 years old.

A small creek is located down an embankment on the south side of the Vestal Rail Trail. (Photo: Bob Joseph/WNBF News)

Shirley said the man apparently had died some time before his body was found. He wouldn't speculate on the time of death. He said detectives are still in the process of gathering information.

He said at this point in the investigation "nothing is pointing" to anything suspicious. He said an autopsy had been scheduled.

A section of the rail trail was closed Saturday afternoon as police looked for evidence around the area.

A fence runs along a section of the south side of the rail trail near a steep embankment where the man's body was located. But the fence ends in the area above the small creek making it possible for a person to walk or fall down the embankment.

The Vestal Rail Trail was busy on September 13, 2026, the day after a man's body was found near the pedestrian and biking pathway. (Photo: Bob Joseph/WNBF News)

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Contact WNBF News reporter Bob Joseph: bob@wnbf.com.