A man looking for his lost pet found something unexpected Thursday afternoon along the South Fork Trail.

The skeletal remains of a man were found by a local resident near the trail about 3:55 p.m. Thursday. The body, which had been there awhile according to authorities, was in the riverbed near the South Fork Trail and Magic Mountain Parkway.

“He walked some distance in and found the remains in a brushy area,” said Sgt. Gary Parker of the Santa Clarita Valley station. “He told deputies he was looking for a lost pet.

Homicide investigators are looking into the case; the victim’s identity and cause of death have not been determined.