Detectives investigate a suspicious death in Madera County

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Deputies found the body of a woman inside a car in a dry canal at Avenue 11 1/2 and Road 28 around 9:45 Sunday night.

The Madera Police Department received a suicide call earlier that night. No witnesses have come forward, so investigators don't know what happened. However, they are calling the woman's death suspicious.

"We don't really know. There's a deceased adult female back there. Suspicious circumstances for sure. It's far too early to be able to say it's a homicide or a suicide. It does not appear to be accidental. So it appears to be either a homicide or a suicide," said Bill Ward/ Madera County Sheriffs Department.

The woman's name has not been released. Detectives are hopeful that the morning light will help them to find more clues and solve this case.