Preliminary autopsy results have determined that a Moorhead man whose body recently was found in Fargo's Island Park died of exposure to cold.
Oliver Eagleman, 55, a homeless man who was staying at his sister's apartment in Moorhead, was discovered lying on the west side of Island Park by a passing motorist on the morning of Jan. 9.
Police are still awaiting results of the toxicology report, which wasn't part of the preliminary report, Capt. Tod Dahle of the Fargo Police Department said Monday.
Eagleman, 55, was last seen the previous afternoon, when he spoke of stopping later at the Ray of Hope drop-in center in Fargo. People at the center, however, said they didn't see him, according to the police investigation.
Advocates of an emergency shelter to take in homeless people who are under the influence of drugs or alcohol said Eagleman's death underscores the need for such a service.
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His sister told reporters she had recently received an eviction notice, and Eagleman might have been reluctant to return there as a result.
A friend, Myron Redday, said the two were turned away from homeless shelters in the past because they had alcohol on their breath. Local homeless shelters don't allow people who are drinking or on drugs because they pose a threat to other residents.
A final autopsy report probably will be available in several weeks, Dahle said.
Readers can reach Forum reporter
Patrick Springer at (701) 241-5522
