Police: Burning Body Found Hanging in Tree at Griffith Park in Los Angeles, No Foul Play Suspected

A burning body found hanging from a tree at Griffith Park in Los Angeles is most likely the result of a suicide, according to the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD).

The body was found at some point before 12:31 p.m. on Tuesday near the Griffith Park merry-go-round, the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) said in a statement.

Fire officials determined the body was dead upon arriving at the scene, NBC Los Angeles reported.

Authorities say there are no signs of foul play and believe the death to be a suicide, pending a coroner’s investigation.

“It appears to be self-immolation,” said LAPD detective Michael Ventura via KABC. “This is going to be somebody who brought some gasoline, brought some lighters. We have had, they are rare, but we do have cases where people will self-immolate. Or they choose to set themselves on fire.”

An LAFD spokesperson confirmed that the “body was that of a woman,” but her age and identity are unknown, the Los Angeles Daily News reported.

The woman was reportedly someone who frequented the park, KABC reported.

Police are notifying the next of kin, NBC Los Angeles noted.

Griffith Park is a popular tourist location in Los Angeles where some of the city’s iconic landmarks are located, including the Hollywood Sign and Griffith Park Observatory. The Los Angeles Zoo is also located within the park, nearby the merry-go-round.

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