Body of man found outside Yuma church

Yuma police found the body of a man lying outside a downtown church Saturday morning.

Sgt. Leanne Worthen, a spokesperson for the Yuma Police Department, said at about 9:30 a.m. officers were dispatched to the First United Methodist Church, located at 298 W. 3rd Street, for a report of a man down.

When officers and firefighters from the Yuma Fire Department arrived on scene, they found the body of a deceased man lying in a stairwell along the west wall of the church, which faces 3rd Street.

"We discovered a male subject who was deceased on the outside of the church," Worthen said.

Worthen was not able to provide a description of the man, saying that officers are in the process of conducting an investigation into the cause of death.

With temperatures in the low 40s, it is not known if cold weather may have played a role in the man’s death.

"It’s still very early into the investigation, but we are doing what is necessary to investigate this to the fullest," Worthen said.

Yuma police were on scene for several hours, which led to parts of the 200 block of S. 3rd Avenue being closed to the public. Westbound traffic on Giss Avenue was also reduced to one lane.

The Yuma Police Department encourages anyone with any information about this case to please call (928) 373-4700 or 78-Crime to remain anonymous.