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Body found, no foul play suspected

A badly decomposing body was discovered behind a pizza shop on Butler's west end tonight, and authorities suspect the cause of death was a drug overdose.

Butler police did not immediately release the name of the 29-year-old man, pending notification of next of kin.

An autopsy is under way to determine cause of death. No foul play is suspected.

The man's body was found laying on its side in grass behind Vocelli Pizza in the 500 block of West Cunningham Street. Employees of the pizza shop discovered the body after noticing a foul smell. Police were contacted at about 7:40 p.m.

Butler County Deputy Coroner Larry Barr pronounced the man dead at about 8:10 p.m.

Investigators identified the man after finding his wallet in his pants pocket. Police also reportedly found a syringe in a back pocket.

The man lived on the west end not far from the pizza shop, authorities said.

The manager of the pizza shop declined comment and referred questions to the company's headquarters in Pittsburgh.

Barr said it appeared the man had been dead, “a while” possibly as long as Saturday night.

"It's not a pretty picture," Barr said after examining the remains.

Police said they had not received any missing person reports about the man prior to the discovery of his body.

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