Police are seeking the public’s help in identifying the body of a man found inside of a tent in Toronto’s Port Lands area last year.
On May 13, 2014 police responded to a call of a suspicious incident near 200 Unwin Ave. and discovered a green and grey coloured Coleman tent with the body of an unidentified man inside.
Police issued a statement on Wednesday asking for the public’s help. Police say the man appears to have been dead for about a year and further investigation determined his death was not suspicious.
Det. Charles Ricci said it would have been difficult for members of the public to notice the tent, despite the fact that it was brightly coloured, because it was located within an area of overgrown vegetation.
Ricci said police suspect the man was homeless because he appeared to be living at the location for a significant amount of time and added that a barbecue and helium tanks were located nearby.
The unidentified man had no identification on his body and an autopsy did not provide any further information on his identity.
Ricci says a biological profile of the man was done and his DNA was entered into a database but police are still waiting for results.
Police describe the man as black, between the ages of 32 and 54, standing between five foot ten and six foot four inches tall with short, curly black hair.
Ricci says the reason for the wide age range is due to the extensive decomposition of the body when it was discovered.
The man was also wearing a Tyvek brand disposable coverall suit, typically worn in cleaning, industrial or laboratory work.
Police say there was also a black Neil Young concert T-shirt, blue jeans with a black engraved belt, grey flip-flops and some personal hygiene items located inside of the tent.
Anyone with information on the body is asked to contact Toronto police.
