PORT ANGELES — City police are investigating a recent death as a possible homicide.
George Cecil David was found dead inside an apartment unit on the 1100 block of East Columbia Street in Port Angeles at about 12:45 p.m. Monday, police said.
David, a Port Alberni, B.C., man who had recently lived in Neah Bay, was 65.
“We haven’t established all the important facts and circumstances surrounding the death,” interim Police Chief Brian Smith said Thursday.
“We’re working a variety of angles to pursue leads and gather information to establish all the important facts about this case.”
Smith would not characterize the death as suspicious, saying only that it was being investigated as if it were a homicide.
“It’s my understanding that he was a well-regarded artist and member of the community,” Smith said.
A State Patrol Crime Scene Investigation unit and the Clallam County coroner are helping with the investigation.
Smith would not disclose whether there appeared to be signs of trauma, citing the integrity of the investigation.
“We don’t have an easy picture of what happened,” Smith said.
‘Some kind of injury’
“The signs indicate that [David] suffered some kind of injury,” Smith said.
“I’ll just leave it at that.”
The State Patrol crime scene unit spent much of Monday evening and Tuesday morning processing evidence in the apartment, which is connected to a business.
Officers canvassed the area east of Olympic Medical Center on Tuesday and Wednesday and followed up on leads Thursday.
“We’re not going to go into details right now of what we’ve found,” Smith said.
“We don’t want to damage our ability to get people to talk to us.”
David’s death was reported by an employee of the business adjacent to the apartment, Smith said.
“It’s my understanding that he was visiting,” Smith said.
David was pronounced dead after officers arrived.
A forensic pathologist conducted an autopsy Wednesday.
Clallam County Prosecuting Attorney and ex officio Coroner Mark Nichols said Thursday he anticipated a written report from the pathologist in about four weeks.
The autopsy was ordered because of uncertainty surrounding the manner and cause of David’s death, Nichols said.
Port Angeles police notified David’s next of kin with help from the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office and Neah Bay police.
Police detectives were conducting interviews in Neah Bay on Thursday, Smith said.
Anyone with information regarding David that might be helpful to investigators is asked to phone the Port Angeles Police Department at 360-452-4545.
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