Suspicious death: Edmonton man, 27, found dead in ditch near Morinville

The body of an Edmonton man was found north of the city and RCMP are treating the death as suspicious.

Morinville RCMP were called Tuesday afternoon after someone found the body of a man in a ditch on a rural road in Sturgeon County.

Police have identified the man as 27-year-old Kevin Dean Damien Yellowbird of Edmonton. Mounties said Yellowbird also had ties to the community of Ma-Me-O Beach, located south of Edmonton on Pigeon Lake.

The RCMP said it is treating Yellowbird’s death as suspicious and has deployed its Major Crimes Unit and Forensic Identification Section to the scene.

An autopsy was done Wednesday at the medical examiner’s office in Edmonton, but the results were not released as tests still have to be completed.

In recent years RCMP have rarely named victims, citing the Federal Privacy Act, however in this case police said they released Yellowbird’s name to assist in the investigation.

Anyone with information about the case is asked to call the Morinville RCMP Detachment. Those wanting to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or submit their tip online.