Body Found Behind Dumpster At NJ Restaurant In 'Valley Of Death'

The worst happens so often in this New Jersey location, locals say, that they call it the "valley of death."

On Tuesday, a man's body was found behind a dumpster at a restaurant in New Jersey on Tuesday, police said, in a place where the possibility of somebody dying, or delving into serious drugs happens all too often.

The body was found behind American Fried Chicken and Pizza in Paterson on Tuesday morning, according to the Passaic County Prosecutor's Office. The crime scene investigation unit gathered evidence and took photos of the area where the body was found.

There was no evidence at the scene that the death was suspicious, nor is there any danger to the public, according to the PCPO. Identification and the manner and cause of death are pending the results of an autopsy

Victoria Oquendo told The Record she noticed police lights flashing and saw the body lying behind the dumpster around 6 a.m. Tuesday, and called the neighborhood a "valley of death."

"It's so common, it's like finding that on the ground," the woman told The Record, pointing to a dirty, empty Styrofoam cup on the ground.

It wasn't immediately clear how the man died, according to Daily Voice.

The Record quoted eyewitnesses who said that the man appeared to purple, with his body twisted and his pockets turned inside out.

Multiple witnesses told FIOS1NJ they saw the body of a male behind container, and one witness said the person's hands and head appeared to be very dirty, and the body was curled up on the ground.

“I'm not happy with what's going on over here,” American Fried Chicken and Pizza owner Sam Jamhour told FIOS, saying he too often sees people coming around to the back of the garbage container to use drugs.

“It's sad to say, it's kind of normal though… Obviously, I always look out for my business. I'm trying to keep it nice and clean, but sometimes things are out of control,” Jamhour told FIOS1. “The cops, they try the best they can. Sometimes, they catch the bad guys. They chase them, and so there's someone else. This is a kind of type of business for them."

Google Earth photo