Eau Claire County Undersheriff, John Vogler, says investigators think the body found Sunday night near the intersection of Clairemont Avenue and the Highway 53 Bypass could be that of an adult man reported missing to Eau Claire Police in January of 2007.

He says a hiker found the body while walking by Otter Creek on Sunday, September 7th at 4:51 p.m.

Undersheriff Vogler says he can't say if this death was a homicide or a suicide. But, he says investigators did find a 22-caliber rifle with the body.

Vogler says the unidentified man had evidence of a gunshot wound, but he can't say if that's what killed him. He says investigators collected the serial number from that rifle -- and should have results from a trace request soon.

Vogler says the hiker found the body about 100 yards into the culvert -- in an area that doesn't get a lot of foot-traffic.

"I know you have to go over a fence to get to the area so its not like a bike trail or a walking trail that's used on a daily basis. Which explains why there had not bee any notification previously," Vogler said. "He was found clothed, dressed appropriately for winter season, which kind of fits with our timeline of the missing person report."

Vogler says that missing man was not from the Eau Claire area and did not have ties to Eau Claire. But, he says he had been in the area when he suddenly disappeared.

We could get a final identification on the body within the next few days.