'Suspicious' body found in Olmsted County has authorities investigating

OLMSTED COUNTY, Minn. (FOX 9) - A body found in Olmsted County on Friday has authorities labeling the surrounding circumstances suspicious.

On June 17, around 6 p.m., Olmsted County deputies were dispatched to a call about a woman being found in the area of County Road 2 and 70th Ave NE in Haverhill Township.  

Found in a remote location on farmland adjacent to wooded areas, throughout the weekend investigators gathered evidence. An autopsy was performed June 20, but at that time authorities were still not able to positively identify the victim.

The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension’s latent prints division were called and subsequently identified the victim as Tia Mercedes Arleth, 28, of Minneapolis.

Throughout the process, authorities determined that the location and condition in which Arleth was found is considered suspicious, but are stopping short of calling it a homicide. 

"The condition of the body made it very difficult to determine the cause of death," authorities said at a press conference Tuesday. Due to decomposition a time of death was not revealed. "Given the rural location it would be extremely difficult to just end up in that location by happenstance."

The Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office is currently investigating and is asking the public for any information they may have.