Authorities identify 60-year-old Cambridge man who died after being found injured in park
“I think people should certainly be cautious at this point. We do not have information at this point that tells us whether this was random in some way or targeted.”
Authorities have identified the 60-year-old Cambridge man who was found with head injuries in Danehy Park Wednesday evening and later died at a hospital — and they’re asking the public for help with the investigation.Paul Wilson, who lived in an apartment complex near the park, was found “unresponsive” with what investigators believe was “blunt force trauma” to the head on the ground near the dumpsters by the parking lot off New Street around 6:46 p.m., Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan said at a Thursday press conference. She said his death is being investigated as a homicide.
The victim in last night’s #CambMA homicide has been identified as Paul Wilson, 60, of Cambridge. Mr. Wilson was in the park last night before 7 pm wearing shorts & a red jacket. Anyone w/ info should contact police @CambridgePolice https://t.co/fPfDoowyFP pic.twitter.com/hA6q6TmR7y
— Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan (@DAMarianRyan) January 3, 2019
Wilson was brought to Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston where he was pronounced dead around 10:18 p.m.
Wilson, who stood about 6 feet, 6 inches, was wearing a red winter coat, shorts, and a winter hat and gloves at the time of his death, Ryan said. He worked at a Cambridge business, and, while he took various routes, he would walk through the park at times to get to the Alewife T station. He also walked through the park recreationally.
“Preliminary investigation indicates that he died as a result of blunt force trauma to his head and robbery does not appear to be a motive,” Ryan said. “The autopsy is being performed this afternoon. We’ll have more information with respect to the specific cause of death at that point.”
When asked why robbery is being ruled out, Ryan said Wilson still had personal items on him when he was found.
Officials hope to use surveillance video in the investigation, if found, and are asking the public for help.
“But particularly with respect to the fact that he was wearing shorts last night, it was a cold evening, and he is 6 feet, 6 inches tall, we are hoping someone may have noticed him in his travels either to or from that path in Danehy Park and may have heard or seen something that will be helpful to us in this investigation,” Ryan said.
Investigators believe Wilson was attacked shortly before a passerby called police. Officials aren’t sure yet if the killing was random.
“I think people should certainly be cautious at this point,” Ryan said. “We do not have information at this point that tells us whether this was random in some way or targeted.”
There was a baseball bat found close to where Wilson was located, Ryan said, but officials don’t know yet if it’s connected to the case. There’s athletic fields nearby in the park, she added, and it’s unclear how long the bat had been there.
Along with the continuing investigation, Cambridge police are adding patrols, as well as undercover officers, to the area to ensure safety, according to Cambridge police Superintendent Steve DeMarco.
He said Danehy Park is one of the safest areas of the city.
“I think the last time we had a crime even remotely comparable to this was in 2009 when there was an aggravated assault crime that occurred and that was 10 years ago,” DeMarco said, adding that the stepped-up patrols will continue into the “foreseeable future.”
Watch the full press conference:
https://www.facebook.com/7NEWS/videos/2172324513082132/
