Suspicious death in Cayucos investigated after body found in back of SUV

A routine stop for San Luis Obispo County sheriff’s deputies turned into something more disturbing Tuesday afternoon in Cayucos.

As deputies made contact with three people sitting inside a Jeep SUV in the 100 block of F Street, they noticed a strong odor coming from the rear of the vehicle. Further inspection of the SUV’s cargo area, which was “packed to the gills,” according to sheriff’s spokesman Tony Cipolla, revealed a dead body.

The San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office is investigating it as a suspicious death, Cipolla said.

Authorities made the discovery after they noticed the SUV was parked in the wrong direction about 2:30 p.m. Tuesday and went to investigate, Cipolla said.

Cipolla said the two adult occupants, an elderly male and female, were detained for questioning but no arrests have been made. There also was a 13-year-old occupant inside the vehicle, Cipolla said.

Cipolla said the Sheriff’s Office is still in the early stages of the investigation and the cause of the death is unknown. A detective from the Coroner’s Office also was on scene to further investigate the body, Cipolla said.

Cipolla said he did not believe the occupants of the vehicle were from San Luis Obispo County.

This story was originally published August 15, 2017 at 6:48 PM with the headline "Suspicious death in Cayucos investigated after body found in back of SUV."