This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

A man whose body was found dumped in the weeds near the Saltair resort was the victim of homicide, Unified Police confirmed Friday.

Hikers who found the remains around 5 p.m. Thursday, while walking along an Interstate 80 frontage road near 11500 West, reportedly had said the man had a head wound of some kind.

UPD Detective Ken Hansen indicated the man was the victim of a gunshot, but declined to further detail his means of death.

The deceased, identified late Friday morning as 22-year-old Chandler Cooper, was located about a mile east of Saltair, just off a dirt path.

A search of court records showed Cooper had an extensive criminal history including numerous drug-related charges, as well as firearms violations, theft by receiving stolen property, and shoplifting.

Chandler most recently was believed to have been living in central Salt Lake County.

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