Montreal police are investigating the 18th murder of the year.

A passerby found the body of a woman Tuesday afternoon inside a shed located at 2600 Notre Dame East, near the intersection with Frontenac.

The man was checking around the property, a former autobody shop and used car lot, when he opened up the door to the shed.

Inside he saw two feet sticking out of a rolled-up carpet.

The citizen immediately called police, who cordoned off the area to search for clues, in addition to setting up a temporary command centre.

Wednesday morning they brought in the fire department and used their ladders to get a better look at the top of the shed.

At this point police do not know if the woman was killed in the shed, or if she was murdered somewhere else, and police spokesperson Daniel Lacoursiere could not confirm reports the carpet had been set on fire.

"Honestly, every theory is being looked at by our major crime unit. How she got there we don't know yet. We don't even know how she died, what was the cause of her death. That's why we're waiting on the autopsy," said Lacoursiere.

Police are also hoping the autopsy will uncover the woman's identity.

"If the body permits us we can have tattoos or dental records of some sort," said Lacoursiere.

When police confirm the victim's identity they'll be able to check her background, talk to family and friends and look for other leads into who might have killed her, and why.