EATON RAPIDS, Mich. (WWJ) - A murder investigation is underway in mid-Michigan's Eaton Rapids Township, southwest of Lansing, where human remains were found in a wooded area.

Eaton County Sheriff's deputies responded to the area of Wilbur Highway and Spruce Road,Wednesday evening, on a call from a citizen who came across what appeared to be a human body.

The remains -- determined to be of a female, according to Eaton County Sheriff Tom Reich in a news release -- were in "an advanced stage of decomposition" and could not immediately be identified.

Sheriff’s detectives and Evidence techs, assisted by the Michigan State Police Crime Lab and Michigan State University Anthropology Department, processed the scene and recovered the remains which were turned over to the Medical Examiner’s Office.

While many questions remain, including who the victim is and how she died, the sheriff said his department is now investigating the case as a homicide.

He said detectives are now working with MSU anthropologists and the MSP to try to determine the woman's identity, and with the Medical Examiner to determine a cause of death as well as an approximate date.

There are no suspects in the case as an investigation continues.

Anyone with information is asked to call Det. Rick Buxton at 517-323-8484.