Suspicious death: Homicide investigation underway after body found in Surrey park

SURREY, B.C. -

Homicide investigators have been deployed to Surrey after a body was found in Newton.

The unsettling discovery was made in a park near 140th Street and 68 Avenue.

Police put up a black tent with privacy partitions in the parking lot of Hazelnut Meadows Community Park, just steps away from the playground.

Surrey RCMP say they were called to the area at about 8:45 p.m. Thursday after a report of a “man down.”

“Upon police attendance, a deceased man was located, whose injuries were consistent with suspected foul play,” said Const. Gurv Ghag of Surrey RCMP in a news release Friday morning.

His identity has not been released.

Police are calling the death “suspicious.”

The RCMP’s serious crime unit was leading the case, but members of the Integrated Homicide Investigation team arrived on scene early Friday morning.

Investigators in suits could be seen gathering near the black tent as forensic officers took pictures of the area in daylight.

The park and roads in the area were closed for several hours, but have since reopened.

Investigators are asking for dash-cam video from the area between 8:00 pm to 9:00 pm Thursday night.

“Police are currently in the evidence gathering phase,” wrote Ghag.

Anyone with information about the investigation is asked to call the IHIT Information Line at 1-877-551-IHIT (4448) or by email at [e-mail].