MUDDY CREEK TWP — The body of a 43-year-old New Castle man was found at Moraine State Park on Thursday afternoon.

Jake Weiland, the assistant manager at the park, said this morning that the man’s body was found about 11:30 a.m. by a park visitor along the shore of Lake Arthur near McDanel’s Launch.

Weiland said it appeared as though the death was a suicide, but would not say the cause of death.

Weiland estimated the body had been along the shore for at least 12 hours before it was discovered.

“We’re not sure, but we believe it happened the night before,” he said.

The body was found just days after park officials concluded a 20-day search for the body of Nicholas Sopel, 62, of Butler Township, who officials believe jumped to his death from the Route 422 bridge.

Park officials were assisted Thursday by state police and the Portersville Volunteer EMS on scene.