Cornelia police say no foul play is suspected in the death of a 72-year-old homeless man who was found dead in Cornelia late Monday night. Police officers discovered the man’s body while checking out a suspicious truck behind an abandoned restaurant. He’s been identified as James Roy Cantrell.
Cantrell’s body was found shortly before midnight Monday, Nov. 13, after Cornelia police noticed a white Dodge Ram pickup truck parked behind 727 North Main Street, the old Wolf Creek BBQ. Because the business had been closed for several years, officers felt that someone could be attempting to steal items from the nearby Mountain Automotive, says Cornelia Police Chief Jonathan Roberts.
While walking the area, the officers didn’t find anything that seemed to be disturbed, Roberts says. Prior knowledge of the area led them to where Cantrell had been known to sleep occasionally.
“Officers located Cantrell and attempted to speak with him to see if he had seen any suspicious activity,” says Roberts. “As officers tried to communicate with Cantrell, they noticed he was not responding and appeared to not be breathing.”
When the officers attempted to wake Cantrell, they discovered he was dead. Police called the Habersham County Coroner to the scene, along with Cornelia firefighters and EMS.
Roberts did not give any indication as to how Cantrell died. Habersham County Coroner Kasey McEntire says a determination as to the cause of death has not yet been made, and a possible autopsy is pending.
“The Criminal Investigations Division is looking into the matter, but at this time, there is no evidence to believe foul play was the reason for death,” he says.
Cantrell’s family has been notified.
