RUDDOCK — Authorities discovered a dead body Thursday morning in north St. John Parish.

“Acting on a tip in the ongoing missing person investigation, a team of St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office deputies searched the isolated area along Highway U.S. 51, north of LaPlace on Thursday morning,” Sheriff Mike Tregre said. “Deputies located a body approximately three miles south of Ruddock.”

Detectives were unable to identify the body, Tregre said, adding the coroner ordered an autopsy to identify the body and determine a cause of death.

The development follows a search by police and family members, who have been looking for a missing LaPlace man last seen Oct. 29.

Deputies began looking for 27-year-old Alan Burl Nov. 2, when Burl’s sister alerted authorities no one had heard from her brother in days.

“Witnesses said they last saw Alan Burl (Oct. 29) dressed in a black T-shirt, black pants and Reebok tennis shoes,” Tregre said previously.

Authorities describe Burl as black, approximately six-feet, one-inch tall and weighing 180 pounds. He has black, short wavy hair.

Deputies checked for Burl at an address on Ormond Boulevard, which is his recording studio, but did not locate him. Family members said it’s unusual for Burl to go long lengths of time without communicating.

Deputies said Burl was last seen getting in an unknown make and model car at his residence in the 600 block of Gardenia Drive in LaPlace. The occupants of the car are unknown.

Sgt. Dane Clement said previously deputies did not suspect foul play.

Tregre said family members had been working closely with authorities and did not make deputies aware of any medical issues for Burl.

Burl was entered into a nationwide database and his photo has been posted on social media.

Anyone with information regarding the case is encouraged to call the Sheriff’s Office TIPS line at 985-359-TIPS or Crimestoppers at 504-822-1111.