‘It’s Pretty Gory’: Decapitated Body Found In Woods Behind Popular Fast Food Restaurant

A woman stumbled upon decomposed human remains in the woods behind a Nashville, Tennessee McDonald’s Friday morning, WSMV reported.

The discovery led police to launch a death investigation in the Hillhurst neighborhood. Metro Nashville Police Department officers responded to 3300 Dickerson Pike around 10 a.m. after the woman reported her finding, according to WSMV. Police described the discovery as a “severely decomposed grouping of skeletal remains” in the wooded area behind the fast-food restaurant.

The discovery took a more disturbing turn when detectives searched the area and located a human skull approximately 100 feet from the initial remains, positioned closer to the parking lot, the outlet reported. Police confirmed the skull showed a “deep state of decomposition.”

Investigators have not identified the deceased person or determined how long the remains had been in the woods. The Metro Nashville Police Department is examining the scene and gathering evidence to establish the person’s identity and what led to their death. (RELATED: ‘I Cut His Head Off’: Police Don’t Take Long To Make Arrest)

The discovery stunned workers at nearby businesses who learned about the investigation as police processed the scene. “Given the heat and the woods and the nature of how this person was found it’s extremely difficult for officers to see and for our CSI team to photograph and capture,” a police spokesperson said, the New York Post reported.

Decapitated body found off Dickerson Pike https://t.co/F4fZy2iNMF

— WSMV 4 Nashville (@WSMV) August 22, 2025

“It’s pretty gory. That’s crazy. I don’t even know what to say,” Tom Keesee, who works across the street, told reporters. “We live in a big city. I don’t want to say killings are normal, but a headless body, that’s the next level.”

Police have not released additional details about the investigation or whether they suspect foul play, WSMV reported. The medical examiner will work to determine the cause of death and identify the deceased through available forensic methods.