DETROIT — The medical examiner is still trying to determine how a middle-age man whose body was found in a mobile home early Thursday morning died, according to Mark Belserene, a spokesman for the state medical examiner’s office.
“They’re still working on it,” he said at about 12:30 p.m. Friday. “We might have something later today.”
State police announced Friday afternoon that they believe the man is Ricky Cole, 47, who has lived at the house for about a month, Stephen McCausland, Maine Department of Public Safety spokesman, said in a press release.
“He lived in the local area before that,” he said. “His mother, who lives in New Hampshire, was located overnight and told of the death. A team of detectives continue to gather evidence and conduct interviews today and the death remains suspicious,” but have not revealed what has led them to that conclusion.
Lt. Chris Coleman, who leads the state police Major Crimes Unit north, said Thursday that a neighbor called police about 3 a.m. Thursday requesting a well-being check at the residence behind him at 24 Main St.
Somerset County Sheriff’s Department deputies and officers from Pittsfield Police Department responded and found the deceased man, and called in the Major Crimes Unit.
Several Maine State Police vehicles, including a Major Crimes command truck, were at the home for much of Thursday and remained at the scene on Friday collecting evidence. A police dog was used Thursday afternoon.
Coleman did not immediately return a message left for more details.
Detectives are performing interviews and collecting information and want to interview anyone who had contact with the man in the past couple of days.
As part of the investigation, state police interviewed people on Dogtown Road in Palmyra on Thursday, a detective confirmed.
The mobile home is set back from the road and is located across the street from the Detroit post office.
A neighbor who asked not to be identified said Thursday that she was awake at 3 a.m. because of the heat and thought she heard fireworks.
BDN reporter Alex Barber contributed to this story.
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