Nov. 13, 2007 — Law enforcement officials discovered the body of a fully clothed elderly man in the St. Thomas harbor Tuesday afternoon.
The cause of death will be determined following an autopsy, according to police spokeswoman Monyka Johnigan.
"We have no idea what the cause of death could be, and that will have to be determined by the medical examiner," Johnigan said. She was reached shortly after a concerned citizen called 911 to report the body floating in an area of the waterfront across from First Bank.
Police could not say whether it was an accidental drowning or whether foul play was involved, Johnigan said.
"There were no visible signs of trauma, and at this time we have not determined the classification for the cause of death," she said.
The man "was fully clothed and wearing shoes," Johnigan said, and investigators responding to the scene just after 3 p.m. Tuesday "determined that he had been in the water for at least 24 hours."
Law enforcement and emergency response agencies at the scene were St. Thomas Rescue, Department of Planning and Natural Resources' Marine Unit, the V.I. Police Department's Patrol Division, Major Crimes Investigation Bureau, Forensics, officers from the V.I. Lottery and VIPD's chief of police.
DPNR's Marine Unit assisted VIPD officials in retrieving the body from the water, Johnigan said.
Police are asking anyone with information about the incident to call 774-4950 or 911.
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