FBI declines comment on body investigation

A spokesman for the Little Rock office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation declined to comment Wednesday on the cause of death of a man whose body was found Sunday on West Mountain.

The body of an out-of-state, middle-age man was discovered at about 11:50 a.m. Sunday on West Mountain in Hot Springs National Park, according to a news release issued by the National Park Service on Sunday.

The Park Service release said national park law enforcement rangers had asked for assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Little Rock office in collecting evidence.

The agency has since referred all questions about the investigation of the body to the FBI’s Little Rock office. The newspaper on Monday made repeated attempts to contact the FBI for a statement. A spokesman returned the newspaper’s call on Wednesday, but declined to comment.

The summit and surrounding trails were closed after the discovery, but have since reopened, according to the Park Service.

“Most of the mountain was reopened later that day, and the summit was opened on Monday,” national park Superintendent Josie Fernandez said Wednesday.

“West Mountain is now open. This includes all roadways and trails. Our law enforcement rangers would like to thank you for your cooperation,” the Park Service posted on Facebook on Monday.

Park Service personnel had secured the area Sunday, closing it off to the public pending further investigation by an evidence processing team.

“As with any fatality, the area (was) treated as a crime scene until determined otherwise,” Justin Cully, Hot Springs National Park chief ranger, said in Sunday’s release.