Nov 20, 2009 - 12:08 PM

By Jeff Mitchell

WHITBY -- An autopsy was scheduled Friday to determine the cause of death of a woman whose body was found behind a Whitby apartment block Thursday.

Durham police have classified the death of the woman as suspicious and continue to investigate, Sergeant Nancy van Rooy said Friday.

"It's still an active investigation. We're still at the scene," she said.

Officers were canvassing residents of White Oaks Court for witnesses following the discovery of the body shortly before 10 a.m. Thursday. The body was found behind 200 White Oaks, the southernmost of four apartment buildings on the court.

Police have confirmed the identity of the woman, said to be in her 40s, but haven't released her name. Although homicide detectives attended the scene Friday police aren't saying foul play was involved in the death.

"Right now it's a suspicious death -- that does include the possibility of homicide," Sgt. van Rooy said.

Numerous officers converged on the area following the discovery of the body Thursday, setting up a large perimeter around the building and questioning residents as they came and went. Shortly before noon a distraught woman arrived at the scene and began shouting and sobbing after briefly conversing with a police officer.

The discovery came on the same day that Durham police investigated the death of one man and the stabbing of another following a dispute Wednesday night in Ajax.