WALDORF, Md. -- Authorities in Charles County are searching in woods and a pond for human body parts after a discovery overnight.

At about 1 a.m. Thursday, a man discovered a brush fire along a bike path in the 2500 block of Charter Oak Drive in Waldorf, police said. The man ran to a home and told a resident to call 911.

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Firefighters arrived and put out the fire. Then, at about 11 a.m., the resident went out to inspect the damage and saw a human foot sticking out of a melted plastic storage box.

"It's a bizarre case," said Charles County Sheriff's Department Capt. J.C. Montminy. "I've been a cop a long time -- one or two in your career is about all I've managed. It's a strange case."

Police said that inside the plastic container, they found more human body parts, but they are still looking for more.

Authorities have not identified the victim but say he is a tall, thin white man with blond or light-brown hair.

"We would assume that the perpetrators were trying to hide evidence, hide the body, some combination thereof," Montminy said. "Until we get this case solved and put to bed, we don't know exactly the source of that fire."

Police are using special doctors to analyze the body as they look for clues in the case.