Body Found At Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument

An employee of the Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument in Teller County found a man’s body Saturday morning near the park’s welcome center, said Sheriff Mike Ensminger.

The park was closed Saturday as authorities investigated the death. Ensminger said the body was found outside a maintenance shed just before 7 a.m. and didn’t appear to have been there long.

Officials said an autopsy by the El Paso County Coroner’s Office was scheduled for Monday to attempt to identify the man and determine the cause and manner of death. Ensminger said no information about the man would be released until the man’s relatives were notified.

Ensminger said it’s unclear whether his office or the FBI would take charge of the investigation, and that determination would be made by the El Paso County District Attorney’s Office.