A charred body found last week at a popular recreational area near Vogelweh is being treated as a homicide, according to German police in Kaiserslautern.

The victim was identified as a 31-year-old German woman of South American descent who was living and working in Kaiserslautern. German police have not released her name or where she worked.

Her body was found about 100 meters from the parking lot at Gelterswoog lake along a heavily wooded, paved trail. The lake is off Highway B-270, several miles south of Vogelweh near the town of Hohenecken.

German police say a 54-year-old passer-by discovered the body around 11 a.m. on Thursday and called police.

German police are asking anyone who saw something suspicious between Wednesday evening and Thursday morning around the Gelterswoog, especially any vehicles near the parking lot or a fire, to call the Kaiserslautern police department at 0631-369-2620. Reports can be made in English.

Military security forces at Ramstein Air Base and Vogelweh are not involved in the investigation, a Ramstein spokeswoman said Monday.

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