Body found under bridge on DeLand's north side identified

West Volusia Beacon
110 W. New York Ave.
DeLand, FL 32720
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Body found under bridge on DeLand's north side identified

BEACON PHOTO/MARSHA MCLAUGHLIN
Under North DeLand Bridge — According to the Volusia County Sheriff's Office, this empty retention pond is a known camping spot for area transients. The body of a transient man was found here just before 8 a.m. today.

BEACON PHOTO/MARSHA MCLAUGHLIN
Homeless camp — Shopping carts and other items possibly belonging to homeless who camp under this bridge in North DeLand sit abandoned this afternoon. The body of a man was found in the vicinity just before 8 a.m. today.

BEACON PHOTO/SARAHROSE MINISTERI
Investigators — At the scene of a homeless camp off the U.S. 92 Extension, Volusia County Sheriff's Office investigators look over the area where a man's body was found under a bridge this morning.

BEACON PHOTO/SARAHROSE MINISTERI
On the scene — Sgt. Justin Sawicki of the Volusia County Sheriff's Office is on the scene of the discovery, this morning, Jan. 16, of a body under a bridge along the U.S. 92 Extension on DeLand's north side.

BEACON PHOTO/SARAHROSE MINISTERI
Curious onlookers — A passenger in a vehicle driving by the scene of a grisly discovery this morning on the north side of DeLand looks over at the medical examiner's vehicle and several Sheriff's Office vehicles parked along the U.S. 92 Extension.

Sheriff's Office said death near homeless camp appears to be from natural causes

By Sarahrose Ministeri
BEACON STAFF WRITER

posted Jan 16, 2013 - 10:54:18am

UPDATE:

The body of a homeless man found just before 8 a.m., Jan. 16 has been identified by the Volusia County Sheriff's Office as 64-year-old Albert Wayne Marsh. Preliminary findings indicate Marsh died of a heart attack.

***

Sheriff's deputies and other emergency personnel converged on the U.S. 92 Extension on DeLand's north side this morning, after a man, apparently a transient, was found dead under a bridge.

Sgt. Justin Sawicki of the Volusia County Sheriff's Office said Deputy Brandon Cobb had gone to the area early today, Jan. 16, in search of a different transient man, to serve a warrant for that man's arrest.

The woods on the south side of the U.S. 92 Extension, between Woodland Boulevard and North Stone Street, are the location of a known camp occupied by transient people.

Cobb didn't find the man he was looking for, but did find a body under a bridge in the vicinity. The discovery was made shortly before 8 a.m. Sawicki said the Sheriff's Office is not certain of the identity of the dead man, but deputies believe he is one of the homeless people known to live in the area.

Sawicki said there was no sign of trauma to the body; the Sheriff's Office said indications are the man died of natural causes, and that his body had lain under the bridge several days.

— sarahrose@beacononlinenews.com

Reader Comments

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Local resident | posted Jan 22, 2013 - 10:53:11pm

If you want to help homeless people, there are plenty of charities around town where you can volunteer and give money.

Having served poor and homeless people locally in working at one of these ministries, I will say it is usually lifestyle choices that lead to homelessness. Yes, there are folks who have misfortunes, too. The smart thing is to work with ministries with experience that can tell the difference between the two.

Please do not take it on yourself to give my hard-earned money away through some bloated government bureaucracy. Put your own money and time where your mouth is.

Thank you.

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ENOUGH | posted Jan 20, 2013 - 11:34:02am

Why must our government take care of you from the cradle to the grave. Why do you so many of you think that it is ok for the government to take from my family to give to others?

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So many, so little help... | posted Jan 18, 2013 - 10:44:44am

theresa scanlan,

It would be nice if the county and city could do like you said, but they like doing this instead.....

FREE ROOM AND BOARD......

"The Florida Museum for Women Artists, which rents most of the Fish Building in Downtown DeLand from the city, owed $17,022.48 in back rent and $8,583.72 for past-due utilities."

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theresa scanlan | posted Jan 17, 2013 - 9:18:35pm

we have all these vacant stores and foreclosed homes why cant the city start making places for these people this man was someones loved one who is probably wondering why they havent heard from them.. we have a family member who has been missing since right after christmas. hope it wasnt him but we arent sure we got a tip our loved one was in sanford but we dont know again its not for sure i hope they give us the identity soon

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singletary_zero | posted Jan 17, 2013 - 7:09:43am

How blessed many of us are that we own our homes, have a guaranteed income source and have never been put in the position of having nowhere to turn for help. There are families out there who had to do nothing more than lose their job, have a major setback that ate up their savings. How devastating it must be to lose your home, security, peace of mind. To have children to worry about. Keeping them safe from the elements and other humans, feeding them keeping them looking decent so they can attend school without ridicule. I do not believe for a moment most chose to be homeless. Most of the homeless that are seen are the ones who don't care about anyone or anything other than where their next temporary fix is going to come from, be it booze, food or whatever. Those with pride and fear of humiliation aren't going to be out advertising their situation. Not everyone has family or friends in the position to help. Support agencies have waiting lists that stretch out for over a year. I will be the first one to vote for my taxes to go to helping the homeless instead of salary for all the aids and assistants who do all the foot work needed to keep our elected officials in their chairs. Now that is a good guaranteed income. Do nothing just wait for the needed information to be gathered for you. Lend a helping hand it won't kill you and it might just get you a one way ticket to heaven when your time comes.

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singletary_zero | posted Jan 17, 2013 - 7:09:42am

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Sad Indeed | posted Jan 16, 2013 - 1:22:34pm

It does make me sad to read this but what I know from my own experiences is that most who are titled "homeless" are living the life that they have chosen. If you are foolish enough to give them your money they will gladly take it from you. If you build them free housing they we certainly come out of the woods of Deland and they will come from hundreds of miles around. Now if you put to many rules in place they will not stay for very long. Let us not also forget that most homeless people are drug users, alcoholics, or mentally ill. However, there are some who are nomads who enjoy the life style. The best social program any community can have is employment and opportunity. Handouts are never a good thing for anyone, not even the recipients.

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Delander | posted Jan 16, 2013 - 12:35:25pm

How sad...Also I can't help wondering...didn't some other homeless camped on the south side know he was there? Didn't they know he was not with them (as a "family" member). I would like to think they look out after each other...then again, maybe they are afraid to report anything. God Bless all of of them.

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Rev. Ross Geiger | posted Jan 16, 2013 - 11:39:27am

there must be some way that we can do more for these transiets who are living out of doors in the deland area.

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