Police Find Shallow Grave Next to a Highway In Downey, California

Californian police officials are investigating a shallow grave discovered off a freeway embankment in Downey, a city located in the southeastern region of LA.

Authorities announced on Monday that they are examining the grave as a case of homicide.  It was discovered by a California Highway Patrol deputy around 4:45 p.m. on Sunday, April 14 off the 105 Freeway near Bellflower Boulevard, said Sgt. Vince Rosario of the Downey Police Department.  The area is said to be known for transient encampments.

Downey Police Department homicide detectives have taken over the investigation, authorities said.

Police have not released any information to identify the victim and a description of the remains was not immediately available. ABC News reported that as police investigated the grave, traffic was slowed on the freeway on Monday.

Other crimes that have been reported in the LA area is the celebrity pranking phenomenon called swatting.

"Swatting" is a prank in which police and a SWAT team rush to someone's house after receiving a 911 call that a crime is taking place. Of course, when the police arrive, they realize that the emergency call is fake.

Pop singer Justin Timberlake has become the latest celebrity victim to get "swatted."

TMZ reports that the "Suit and Tie" crooner was "swatted" earlier this month after an unidentified caller reported that four men broke into his LA home and fired two shots. The caller added that the intruders left a box with red blinking lights in the singer's home. [PHOTOS]

Many celebrities have been "swatted" in the past including Chris Brown, Tom Cruise, P. Diddy and Rihanna.

In March, a 12-year-old boy admitted to plotting the "swatting" pranks targeting the homes of Ashton Kutcher and Justin Bieber.

The boy, who is being prosecuted as a juvenile and has not been identified, will be sentenced by a juvenile judge in his home county for making false bomb threats and computer intrusion counts related to "swatting." He is also being charged with a misdemeanor for falsely reporting an emergency in connection to a call at the home of Justin Bieber.  The LAPD also say that the boy "swatted" small business.