Body found on recycling center conveyor belt in ‘suspicious death’

TRAVIS COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) — The body of a man was found on the conveyor belt of a recycling center in south Austin, Texas, according to the Travis County Sheriff’s Office.

Officials have not said how the person died or released their identity, but at a press briefing Thursday afternoon, TCSO’s Kristen Dark said they are treating it as a suspicious death until an autopsy proves otherwise.

“The autopsy will help us determine if foul play was involved,” Dark said. “Right now, what we know is we have a male victim, our crime lab is here, our detectives are here and the investigation has just gotten underway.”

This is not the first time a body has been found at a recycling center in Travis County. Earlier this year, the body of Collen LeBlanc was found on a conveyor belt at a center in east Travis County.

A man named Mark Kenady pleaded guilty to the April 2015 murder of Clarence Gardner Junior following an argument. His body was also found on a recycling center conveyor belt. A woman was also charged with murder at the time but the case was dismissed against her.

The body of Shaybren Harris, a mother of four, was found at the recycling center in January 2014. Authorities say the person who killed her may have known her, but didn’t arrest a suspect.