Police in Halifax are trying to solve a decade-old cold case of an unknown man found dead outside the airport.
RCMP made an appeal to the public Thursday for help identifying a man whose remains were found in a wooded area near the Halifax Stanfield International Airport on Oct. 8, 2004.
Police say the body had been in the forest for up to a week before it was discovered. Though there was evidence of an old injury to the man’s tibia, police say foul play isn’t suspected in the case.
The man was five-foot-eleven, 160 pounds and physically fit.
“We have evidence that he had dreadlocks from the photographs at the scene and possibly that he had facial hair,” said RCMP forensic artist Michel Fournier.
Police showed sketches of what they think the man looked like Thursday. They said the photographs taken at the time were unhelpful in identifying the man due to the length of time the body laid undiscovered in the woods.
Investigators believe the man was between 18 and 24 years old when he died, though they’re unsure if he was from Nova Scotia.
The man was found near a backpack of clothing. Among the items in the bag was a Real Madrid soccer jersey – a Spanish club. RCMP Const. Michael Cheeseman also said the man’s Dolce and Gabbana prescription glasses suggest he wasn’t from the area.
“I know they weren’t able to be purchased here in Halifax at that time,” said Const. Michael Cheeseman.
At the time he was found, the man was wearing a dress shirt, a grey sweater, blue jeans, and beige Timberland hiking boots. A small amount of Canadian money was recovered, but no wallet was found on the man, so police have no form of identification to go on.
At the time, someone matching the man’s description was seen at the airport, police say.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Halifax RCMP.
WIth a report from CTV Atlantic's Rick Grant
