By BEN LUNDIN

Staff Reporter

LAPLACE – A motorist discovered the naked, decaying corpse of a murder victim floating in the water under the southbound side of Interstate 55 near milepost six Thursday night.

An autopsy conducted in Jefferson Parish on Friday identified the homicide victim as Mario Canessa, 24, of Continental Drive in Kenner, who was last seen on Dec. 26 and reported missing by his family on Dec. 30, according to Maj. Mike Tregre of the St. John’s Sheriff’s Office.

St. John Police recovered Canessa’s burned vehicle in nearby St. Rose and have begun an investigation, in tandem with Kenner police, starting by interviewing the family and friends to find out where he was last seen, whom he was with and where he was going.

Authorities would not disclose the cause of death because the information could jeopardize the investigation, but suspects are being lined up for interviews, according to Tregre.

&#8220We’ve been pursuing some active leads and the investigation is definitely going in the right direction,” Tregre said.