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Man found dead on I-40 median ID’d

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A man found dead on the Interstate 40 median Feb. 9 has been identified as Wil Begay, 25, of Chinle, Ariz.

His body was discovered near mile post 19, and he was hit sometime during the dark, early Friday morning hours.

Gallup Police Department Capt. Marinda Spencer said two calls came in about the body, with the first call coming in shortly after 6 am.

The first caller had reportedly passed through the area by the time they called police, saying there was a dead body on the median. An officer searched the area, but couldn’t locate Begay.

Begay was discovered by a tractor-trailer driver about an hour after the first call. The driver stayed on scene until police arrived.

Spencer said the lack of daylight likely hindered the officer’s search earlier that morning.

No identification was found on Begay’s body, but detectives were eventually able to identify him and notify his next of kin a few days later.