Decomposed body found in Champaign is identified

CHAMPAIGN — Authorities now say that a decomposing body found in Champaign is a 50-year-old resident of the city.

Champaign County Coroner Duane Northrup told the (Champaign) News-Gazette Thursday that he still isn’t sure how Nathaniel Cater died or how long he had been dead.

The results of an autopsy aren’t yet available.

Police Chief R.T. Finney says a man found Carter’s body Wednesday in some knee-high weeds in Champaign.

Finney says the body was so decomposed that after Carter was found, officers couldn’t even be sure of his race.