Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN — The Youngstown Police Department confirmed today that a human body was found in a garbage can in a backyard in the 500 block of Loveless Avenue at about 9:30 p.m. Saturday, but the body was in such bad shape, authorities still do not know if it is male or female.

The home is on the East Side. The case is being investigated as a homicide.

Capt. Jason Simon of the detective division, said individuals were renovating the home associated with the property and noticed a smell coming from the back yard. They looked in the can and discovered the remains.

Simon said it too soon to know how long the body had been there. It’s too soon to even try to make an identification of the remains or say how old the person was or any other identifying information, Simon said.

“There is so much unknown right now,” Simon said, explaining why no press release was issued on this matter.

The people working on the house are part the family that owns the house, which was not occupied, he said.