The body of a homeless man was found Thursday, but police have not been able to determine whether foul play was involved, the V.I. Police Department reported Friday.
Officers on St. Thomas were notified that a man had been found dead in a residential area of Estate Hospital Ground. Neighbors told police the man was homeless and often slept in the area. He was known only as “Billy,” and may have been in his late 40s, or 50s. Billy was found on the ground, in a sleeping position, with a sheet covering his legs and waist.
According to the police, a resident on Thursday smelled a foul odor, looked into a yard and saw the body. Officers were notified at about 5:30 p.m. and dispatched to the scene. Neighbors said they last saw the deceased on December 20 or 21.
The body was in early stages of decomposition and police could not determine if there were signs of foul play, according to the report. The body was taken to the Schneider Regional Medical Center, where it will be examined by the medical examiner for the purpose of finding a cause of death.
