Body found in I-40 trash container near Benson

Benson, N.C. — The Johnston County Sheriff's Office is investigating the discovery of a middle-aged white man's body in a trash bin 3 miles north of Benson. The dumpster is near a rest stop on Interstate 40, near mile-marker 324.

WATCH VIDEO
Body discovered at rest stop

The westbound area of the rest area was closed for a time Tuesday night as deputies and State Bureau of Investigation agents combed the scene for evidence. The Department of Transportation was also assisting with traffic control while the entrance to the rest area was blocked off with crime-scene tape.

The body was taken to the Office of the Chief State Medical Examiner in Chapel Hill for an autopsy.

A supervisor for the rest-area staff said workers dump garbage in the container after every shift. He also said the public is not supposed to use it.

The worker who disposed of the garbage after his shift at 3 p.m. Tuesday didn't notice anything unusual; however, sometime around 6 p.m. a man's body was found inside the container, the supervisor said.

Who found the body was unclear.