This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Police hope an autopsy will help identify badly decomposed human remains found clogging a Salt Lake City drainage pipe near the Jordan River.

Salt Lake City police Detective Richard Chipping said it was initially impossible to even determine the gender of the body, which was discovered by city Water Department workers cleaning out the drain shortly about 9 a.m. Wednesday at 1310 S. 900 West.

"It was too decomposed to tell," Chipping said, saying the same factor foiled initial efforts to determine whether the victim's death was natural, accidental or suspicious in nature.

Salt Lake City Fire and Rescue workers removed the body, which was then turned over to the Utah State Medical Examiner's Office.

Anyone who may have information about this case is asked to call SLCPD at 801-799-3000, or anonymously text 274637 using the keyword "TIPSLCPD."

Twitter: @remims