Portland Police announced Monday morning that they are investigating two deaths in the wooded area behind Hannaford on Riverside Street.
Police say they received a call reporting two unconscious males in the wooded area behind the Hannaford shortly after 7:40 a.m. on Monday.
Upon arrival, police found 57-year-old William Liese and 44-year-old Lee Thomas Johnson, both deceased.
Both men are believed to have been homeless, police said.
“The department is now investigating the circumstances around these unattended deaths,” Portland Police said. “Autopsies will be scheduled and cause and manner of death will be determined by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.
https://twitter.com/PolicePortland/status/1888956027820728479
The Riverside Hannaford grocery store is located at 787 Riverside St., in Portland’s Riverton neighborhood.
The Riverton Hannaford is just blocks away from the city’s Homeless Services Center, which is located at 654 Riverside St.
According to the city’s Unhoused Community Dashboard, there are seven tents on private property in the area around the Riverside Street Hannaford and Riverton neighborhood.
This story is developing and will be updated with any additional information.
If these two people died from exposure,it’s because of the failures of the city of Portland. No one should be out in the weather this time of year.
Fentanyl in the shape of pink valentine hearts or below zero temperatures without mittens .
Your choice of answers .
Either or Both will be the grand prize winners.
The “Unhoused Community Dashboard” states there are 24 tents throughout the city. Have these homeless people been offered free housing at state government subsidized hotels as have our New Mainers?
Could be that it is cheaper to bury them than house and feed them forever.
The younger of the two victims was not homeless or a vagrant . He was my nephew. He has struggled with addiction for many years, undergone countless visits to rehab and had been working VERY HARD to stay clean which he was at Thanksgiving when I last got to hug and give him a kiss . The family is devastated by the news of his passing and are as perplexed as to what exactly occurred . Yes, it most likely involved alcohol , drugs or both. That being said , DISTASTEFUL COMMENTS AS “Cheaper to bury them than to house them” are beyond hurtful and as his aunt I would appreciate others to show some grace and mercy.
This is unfortunate for those involved, but it seems that as long as people from other countries are well taken care of, that’s all that matters to the state of Maine