The "tragic" death of an Alice Springs teenager, whose body was found on a remote road outside the town on New Year's Day, is being treated as suspicious.
Northern Territory police are investigating after a driver stumbled across the body of the 19-year-old man on Monday east of Alice Springs.
The woman from the nearby Undoolya Station found the man lying on an unsealed road about 12.30pm and alerted emergency crews.
NT Police Assistant Commissioner Travis Wurst said the man appeared to be African with a dark complexion and his body had been on the road for a short time.
He said investigators had identified the man and were attempting to contact his family.
"It can only be described as an absolute tragedy occurring on the first day in 2024," he told reporters on Tuesday.
"For a young man who's passed away, his family will no longer have him for this year and for every year going forward."
He called for members of the public with dashcam or CCTV footage from the east of Alice Springs to contact police.
"Our investigation will be thorough and we'll examine all lines of inquiry that lead us to his movements in the last number of hours and days be of his death," he said.
An autopsy will be conducted to determine the cause of death.
