JACKSON TOWNSHIP -- State police in Monroe County are investigating a homicide after man's body was found shot and partially burned.
Troopers say the body was found in a wooded area near Tannersville on Wednesday.
“It's normally very quiet, but hearing this it does make me nervous,” said Melinda Schaller.
Schaller and others living in the secluded wooded area in Jackson Township said they knew something was up Wednesday when they saw state police in their neighborhood.
“When I came home from work, they were blocking, they were on Jackson Road, just beyond Sportsman's Trail, blocking the road,” said Schaller.
“I saw the state trooper blocking the road and he asked me, 'Where are you going,' I told him, 'I'm going to my house,'” said Nour Bachkas.
State Police Fern Ridge say around noon Wednesday, the body of 24-year old Demetrio Hughes of Mount Pocono was found in the woods off Jackson Road in Jackson Township near Tannersville.
He had been shot, his body partially burned. Investigators say this is a homicide investigation.
“Yes, I am nervous,” said Schaller. “Especially, since I have a 13-year-old son who rides his bike around here.”
“You never know who's going to knock on my door at night, coming up here, so keep the doors locked and guns loaded, you know,” said Tom Donovan. “Plenty of dogs, once they start barking, somebody's around.”
But neighbors here say this isn't the first time a body has been found in this area.
A 22-year-old man was found shot to death on Hipsie Gap Road in 2007.
“There was another body found, up Hipsie Gap so now this is the second time I've heard of it,” said Schaller. “I've always looked at this area as a safe neighborhood and now you don't know.”
“This is like a dumping ground up in here,” said Donovan. “Yeah, they come up here and dump them and carrying on.”
Police say while Hughes is from Mount Pocono. He has ties to South Jersey.
Anyone with information is asked to call the state police Fern Ridge barracks at 570-646-2271.