The Somerset County Sheriff’s Office on Thursday released the name of the man found dead in a motel room in Palmyra a day earlier.
The body of Richard Langlais, 62, formerly of Cheshire, Connecticut, apparently had been in a room at Lovley’s Motel, just off U.S. Route 2, for a significant amount of time.
The Medical Examiner determined he died from natural causes, Chief Deputy James Ross said.
“It is unknown exactly how long he had been deceased, but it is believed it could have been a week or more,” he said.
Deputies responded to the motel at 9 a.m. Wednesday to conduct a welfare check at the request of motel staff.
“The report was that a man and woman had been renting a room for several months and that the man had not been seen for an extended period of time,” Ross said in a news release Wednesday.
Deputy Toby Blodgett notified the State Police Major Crimes Unit, per protocol, and members responded because of the unusual circumstances, according to Ross.
At the scene Wednesday, a Northern Light Sebasticook Valley Hospital ambulance arrived and helped a woman in a pink top and light-colored cap into the ambulance. She was crying. The woman had been sitting in the front seat of a state trooper’s car as officials worked at the scene.
Ross said later, in his press release, that she was taken to Sebasticook Valley Hospital to be evaluated.
“It was also reported that the woman was exhibiting unusual behavior,” Ross said Wednesday. “When Dep. Blodgett gained access to the room, he was immediately able to determine the man had been deceased for a significant amount of time.”
“I do not know the status of the female after she was transported to the hospital for an evaluation,” he said Thursday.
Blodgett notified the State Police Major Crimes Unit, per protocol, and members responded because of the unusual circumstances, according to Ross.
The death is not believed to be suspicious.
An autopsy will be conducted by the Medical Examiner’s Office to determine the exact cause of death.
Doug Harlow — 612-2367
dharlow@centralmaine.com
Twitter:@Doug_Harlow
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