Man found dead near flea market

By Independent staff

GALLUP — Authorities are investigating the discovery of a body near the flea market just off U.S. Highway 491.

Investigator Merle Bates, a spokesman for the McKinley County Sheriff’s Department, confirmed the discovery at about 8:30 a.m. Detectives were en route to the scene and no additional details were available as of 10:30 a.m.

This is the second body that has been discovered in the Gallup area in just more than a week.

Preliminary autopsy results indicate a 38-year-old Sheepsprings man died from exposure on or about Feb. 7.
Ray Eldridge was discovered near the Dairy Queen East Wednesday morning at about 9. A passer-by called police, who arrived at the location moments later. Eldridge was pronounced dead at the scene.

Investigators notified Eldridge’s next of kin once they learned his identity and a possible cause of death. He underwent an autopsy at Albuquerque’s Office of the Medical Examiner late that week.

Eldridge’s death marked the first exposure death of the season for the Gallup area.