Billings County authorities are awaiting an autopsy report on a former Montana football player who was found dead Tuesday afternoon in a remote scoria pit five miles southeast of Medora. He had been shot, officials said.

Sheriff Dave Jurgens said the body of Jens Jensen, 24, was spotted by a helicopter crew, who saw him lying about 30 yards from a pickup parked in the pit.

Jensen had been a student and running back for the Montana Tech Orediggers at Butte.

Jurgens said it wasn't clear how long Jensen's body had been out in the Badlands scoria pit on U.S. Forest Service land, and that the autopsy should determine whether the death was self-inflicted or the result of foul play.

In the meantime, he's treating the incident as a suspicious death, and is continuing his investigation.

Jurgens said the helicopter sighting was fortuitous. The body could have gone undetected indefinitely, since the pit is a half-mile off any traveled road out in some rough country. The helicopter crew was out checking power lines.

Jensen apparently was en route from Dickinson to Glendive, Mont., but never arrived at Glendive, Jurgens said.

He is a native of Missoula, Mont., where his family lives.

Jensen had completed his senior season of football eligibility for the Tech Orediggers last fall.

He studied petroleum engineering and had one semester remaining before graduation, school officials said.

Tech football coach Bob Green said Jensen "touched everyone in our operation with his caring for his teammates and devotion to the team."