Police say a body discovered at Pier 4 Park in Hamilton, Ont. has been deemed suspicious.
Homicide detectives say the body, recovered Tuesday morning behind the Leander Boat Club, is currently under autopsy and the cause of death has yet to be determined.
However, Det. Sgt. Sara Beck says it’s believed to be a murder based on the nature of injuries found on the deceased.
“I can tell you that he is known to police,” Beck said in a presser Wednesday afternoon. “We are continuing to work with his background in terms of why he was there and what he was doing in the days leading up to it.”
Investigators believe the Hamilton-area man, identified as 50-year-old Jason Gallant, was likely lying on shore at the water’s edge for hours.
It’s suspected the incident that caused his death occurred sometime overnight Tuesday, according to Beck.
“We have information that there were residents from the area in the park and utilizing the space right up until dusk,” she revealed.
Officers descended to the pier near Hamilton Harbour around 8 a.m on Tuesday following a call tied to the discovery of a body near the water.
Beck said the scene was cleared around 8 p.m. on Tuesday with the total time for recovery and processing of the scene taking close to 12 hours.
Hamilton police are appealing to the public for information and asking nearby residents with surveillance cameras at Pier 4 Park to reach out to investigators.