Lawrence police are investigating an unattended death near the Kansas University campus this afternoon after a someone discovered a body hanging inside a small outbuilding.

"We found a small shed behind the residence, and there's a body hanging in the shed. It's obviously been there for a long time," said Capt. Ray Urbanek.

Officers and medics with Lawrence Douglas County Fire & Medical were called around 3:15 p.m. to the alley in the 1200 block of Louisiana Street after someone who lives in the house on the property discovered the body, police said.

The residents of the home, who were all accounted for, had detected a foul smell, Urbanek said. They were looking for what caused the smell when someone discovered the body, he said.

"It looks pretty much just like a suicide to me," Urbanek said.

The police captain said because of how long the body had been there officers could not immediately tell race or sex, much less make an identification or try to notify the person's family.

Police detectives were on their way to the scene to help investigate.

Urbanek also said officers believe the shed was something the residents did not have access to.