Body found in Cape Coral canal

CAPE CORAL, Fla. A body was discovered Monday afternoon in a canal, according to the Cape Coral Police Department.

Police are conducting a death investigation by the canal on the 3200 block of Southwest Second Avenue, but details are limited.

A man said he spotted the body floating in the water, and he used his fishing pole to bring it ashore. Emilio Mancini didn’t believe at first that the remains were human.

“I thought it was a manatee just sitting there, and it wasn’t moving,” Mancini said.

The body, which had its legs tied together, resembled a mannequin once Mancini reeled it closer, he said.

Police later determined the remains were human. It’s unclear how long the body was in the canal, where the water is slow-moving, according to Mancini.

Police took the remains away in a body bag, Mancini said. An officer returned to the canal by boat late Monday afternoon.