Body found in Abbeville

The Abbeville Police Department is investigating a body discovered under a house at 209 9th St. Wednesday afternoon.
Someone at the scene could be heard saying the body is that of Eugene Williams, the man reported missing more than three weeks ago. That person is not a member of the police department. Lt. David Hardy said Wednesday that the department cannot confirm the identity of the body.
“At this point in time the Abbeville Police Department is working on trying to identify the deceased person,” Hardy said. “Until officers make a positive identification of the deceased person, no name will be released.”
Hardy said a cause of death could also not be confirmed at the time. Officials are awaiting the results of an autopsy.
“The scene was processed and the Vermilion Parish Coroner’s Office was called to the scene,” Hardy said, “where she ordered an autopsy of the deceased person.”
Abbeville police received a call just after 1 p.m. on Wednesday that a body had been discovered under a house on 9th Street. The house is located on the block between South St. Charles Street and South Louisiana Avenue. Officers roped off the block during the course of a two-hour investigation of the scene.
No one is currently living in the home where the body was found. The residence is in the process of being renovated.
Abbeville Councilman Wayne Landry, whose District D includes the area, said he is among the many disappointed and hurt by what happened on Wednesday.
“This is a sad occasion,” Landry said. “With situations like this, there is not much you can do. The community has come together and doing what we can to stop things like this from happening. I’m mostly at a loss for words. I just want the community to know we are trying to do all we can to keep things safe.
“If anyone has seen or knows anything, please report it.”