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Woman's body found behind convenience store in Columbia, police call death 'suspicious'

Police say it's not yet clear how long the woman's body was there before being found or how she died.

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Columbia Police are investigating a woman's body found in a trash can behind a convenience store on Thursday morning.

According to a spokesperson for the department, the body was found near the Q Mart in the 3200 block of Colonial Drive near Academy Street around 10 a.m. - not far from Prisma Health Richland Hospital.

One woman said she was there when the body was discovered.

"I came outside the store and observed some females and two males across the street around a garbage can," she said. "One of the guys said he was looking in the garbage can for food, and that's when he saw a body."

Following that interaction, she said she entered the Q Mart to speak to the manager. 

"I told the manager, 'Do you know there is a body in a garbage can behind your store?'" she said. 

The manager said no, so the woman said she immediately called the police. 

Investigators are now treating the death as suspicious and said it's unclear how long she may have been at the location. The Richland County Coroner's Office is now at the scene.

Authorities said they have identified a person of interest but are not describing that person as a suspect.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as they become available.

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