ST. ALBANS, Vt. -
A body was found in a wooded area in St. Albans Thursday. Police think it's that of a man who had been missing for a month.
Police say the cause of death is undetermined, so neither natural causes or foul play have been ruled out. But police are almost certain that the man who died was Fred Bemis of St. Albans.
"It's not gonna be the same without Fred around here," long-time friend Calvin Bourn said.
For as long as Bourn can remember, the woods were home to 59 year old Frederick Bemis.
"20 below zero this was his home," Bourn said.
Bourn saw Bemis almost every day... so he didn't take the news well when police announced that they think the body of his homeless friend was found in the woods west of the Price Chopper in St. Albans.
"I was absolutely devastated," Bourn said.
Bemis was last seen at the beginning of September near the Price Chopper. A friend reported him missing. Thursday, almost a month later, his body was found in the woods near where he was living.
"He was found approximately 120 yards, as the crow flies from his campsite," Lieutenant Judy Dunn said, of the St. Albans Police Department.
Friends say Bemis had been ill and the autopsy didn't show any sign of trauma. But Lieutenant Dunn said, "You can't rule anything out at this point in time."
Police spent much of Friday scouring the woods and searching for any piece of evidence. So far, nothing out of the ordinary was found. And until more questions are answered, friends of Fred Bemis say he'll be missed.
"I can't imagine anyone wanting to hurt Fred, he was a wonderful person," Bourn added.
Police are in the process of obtaining medical and dental records for a positive identification.
And until a cause of death can be determined, this mans death will remain under investigation.
