Country Star Tyler Rich Finds Dead Body During New Year's Eve Run

Country star Tyler Rich ended 2020 with an horrific shock ... he found a dead body.

Tyler was jogging at a park in Massachusetts when he came upon the body of a man. The body was in a heavily wooded area and at first Rich thought it was a young, homeless man who was asleep.

Tyler kept running but became concerned and circled back to make sure the guy was ok. He explained what happened next ... "I realize he isn't breathing, and as I get around to the front of him, all I see is a lifeless face covered in blood. Everywhere.  Looked like maybe shot, or blunt force. At this moment, I freak out and sprint up the steep hill to try and find anyone with a phone to call police."

He said that he then stumbled upon a couple walking on the main path and used their phone to call authorities. After they arrived, Rich gave his statement to law enforcement officers and the FBI.

Tyler says cops came and they found a gun in the guy's hand, under his body, concluding "it potentially could have been a suicide ... Not that there is any type of thing that could help me cope with finding him like this."

Although Tyler says it was a small comfort to know the body wasn't discarded by someone else, he's still extremely shaken ... “I’m doing what I can to process this, the image, the reality. It’s been a rough 24 hours ... Something I’ll never unsee or forget ... He looked like a young, normal kid. Someone with a family probably wondering where he was.”

Tyler and his wife were in Massachusetts visiting relatives for the holiday.

Cops are not disclosing any more information about the death.