Authorities ID body found in Harnett County, death investigated as homicide

HARNETT COUNTY (WTVD) -- Authorities have identified the partially decomposed body that was discovered late Thursday afternoon in a wooded area near Peaceful Lane outside Spring Lake, the Harnett County Sheriff's Office said.

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The body found was 32-year-old Dennis Alan Conley of Cameron, North Carolina. His death is being investigated as a homicide.

An autopsy will be conducted by Chief Medical Examiner's Office. Until then, authorities said they are not going to speculate the cause of Conley's death.

Conley was last seen alive in the morning hours of August 19.

It's the fifth recent case of a body being found in Harnett County, however it's too early to know if this case is connected with any of the others.

"I can't rule it out, but there's no indication what we've seen right now is linked to any of the other cases," Sheriff Wayne Coats said.

Authorities have not identified the body; however, they said the person appears to be a white man.

Coats told ABC11 that some people walking down a dirt path near Peaceful Lane made the gruesome discovery Thursday afternoon.

A cause of death has not yet been determined.

READ MORE: 2ND BODY FOUND IN HARNETT COUNTY IDENTIFIED

"We don't have any idea how long the body has been there but it is decomposed pretty bad," Coats said.

The case is being investigated as a homicide.

Investigators worked into the evening, collecting evidence.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Harnett County Sheriff's Office at (910) 893-9111.