The body of a 40-year-old Lawrence man was discovered this morning in the alley behind the city parking garage in the 900 block of New Hampshire Street.

Police said the body of Gordon K. Foster, an employee of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, was found about 4:45 a.m. by a 21-year-old man walking in the area.

“Mr. Foster apparently jumped from the top of the parking garage to the alleyway below,” said Police Spokesman Sgt. Mike Pattrick.

Police do not suspect foul play in the incident, which apparently occurred some time between 3:30 a.m. and 4:45 a.m.

Pattrick said a police officer on routine patrol came across Foster sitting in a car atop the parking garage at 3:30 a.m. The officer later reported Foster did not appear despondent and gave a “reasonable explanation” that he was awaiting newspaper deliveries.

“The officer left him to his business,” Pattrick said.

Foster had begun work in recent weeks as a contract delivery driver for The Journal-World, circulation manager Joe Lewis said. But Lewis said Foster picked up his newspaper bundles at a delivery dock on Mass. Street, not at the parking garage.

Lewis said Foster also had recently accepted a part-time job as a “shortage driver” for the newspaper.

Pattrick would not say if a suicide note was discovered.

Bryan Norwood, who found Foster’s body, told the Journal-World he was on the way home from a party at the time. He said he nudged Foster to tell him he couldn’t sleep in the alley and discovered he was dead. He went to the nearby Salvation Army homeless shelter to call police.

He said Foster’s body appeared to have some “insurance” papers next to it.