The Calgary police homicide unit is investigating a suspicious death in the northwest Calgary neighbourhood of Thorncliffe.
At around 2:30 p.m. Saturday, officers were called to the 6100 block of Thornaby Way N.W., for a report of a suspicious death.
When they arrived, police found the body of a man in his late 20s or early 30s in a detached garage.
Investigators confirm that the man was not known to the homeowners and that they are working to identify him.
The homeowners, who Global News has agreed not to identify, said they’ve lived in the neighbourhood for nearly 40 years and the incident has left them feeling unsettled.
They had family members over Saturday afternoon for brunch and at one point their 12-year-old granddaughter took trash out to the bins in the garage. As she opened the door to get inside, she discovered the man’s body on the ground.
The young girl told her parents there was a man sleeping inside the garage, at which point her dad went to check on the man.
After realizing the man did not have a pulse and that his body was very cold, police were notified.
An autopsy is planned for Monday morning.
Bonnie Milner has lived on the street for seven years. She said the neighbourhood is usually quite safe and quiet, but it has changed since the start of the pandemic.
“Years ago we lived in another neigbhourhood that wasn’t as nice as this and it reminds me of that,” Milner said.
“Because of COVID…. people aren’t walking more… they are out more, and I worry about the younger people in the neighbourhood.”
Milner adds that in more recent months she’s heard of multiple car break-ins and at least one home burglary nearby.
No one has been taken into custody, police said.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the police non-emergency line at 403-266-1234 or Crime Stoppers.