The brutally beaten body of a dead woman hanging from a fence was initially dismissed by neighbors as a gory Halloween decoration.

But when a man walking his dog in Chillicothe, Ohio, came to the horrific conclusion that it was actually real, he called police on Tuesday morning.

He found her hanging by her shirt sleeve from a chain-link fence near an American Electric Power construction site at North Brownell Street and Hardin Drive at about 8.30am.

The body was so badly injured that it was impossible to tell if it was a male or female.

But the victim was identified by police as Rebecca Cade, 31, a mother from Chillicothe, at a press conference today. 

Officials said the cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head and neck. Police said defensive wounds were found on the woman’s arms.

Donnie Cochenour Junior was arrested for Cade’s murder on Tuesday.

He was charged with one count of murder and bail was set at $2million for the 27-year-old during his arraignment on Wednesday, the Columbus Dispatch reported.

Cochenour is reportedly on suicide watch at Ross County Jail.

According to the Dispatch, he appeared in court via video link wearing clothing designed to prevent suicide attempts.

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