BRUNSWICK — Police are still trying to identify a dead man found in the woods off Bath Road last week.

The man, estimated to be between 50 and 70 years old, was discovered by someone walking along railroad tracks just after noon on Thursday, Dec. 22.

According to detective Sgt. Martin Rinaldi, the body was found frozen in a shady spot in the woods. Rinaldi said the state medical examiner’s office estimated the man had been dead for at least a week. His cause of death was still undetermined as of Wednesday.

Police believe the man had been camping in the woods near Merrymeeting Plaza, where investigators found a shelter made from two tarps and an air mattress.

But they also found a few unusual items: a fedora-style L.L. Bean hat and a Gore-Tex baseball cap with flaps. The man was wearing hunter orange sweatshirts and had zip-off hiking pants that were tucked into tall wool socks.

Rinaldi said in his experience, it’s uncommon for homeless people to be so well-prepared to camp in the woods, and to own pricey or technical outdoor gear.

Officials at the medical examiner’s office also discovered the man was wearing a hospital-style catheter that Rinaldi said would be difficult to clean and empty without medical assistance.

Detectives are now trying to determine if someone fitting the man’s description wandered away from a hospital in the past few weeks.

Police are also seeking the public’s assistance in identifying the man, who is described as approximately 5 feet 7 inches tall, 160 pounds, with salt-and-pepper dark hair, a light beard and moustache.

He was wearing tan hiking pants, a brown knit hat, black work boots and two hunter orange sweatshirts beneath a dark tan coat.

Rinaldi can be reached at 725-6623 ext. 162.

Emily Guerin can be reached at 781-3661 ext.123 or eguerin@theforecaster.net. Follow her on Twitter: @guerinemily.

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