Police ID body found near Hilo airport

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Big Island police have identified the man whose decomposed body was found June 15 off the road leading to Hilo airport.

Big Island police have identified the man whose decomposed body was found June 15 off the road leading to Hilo airport.

The man was identified Friday by the Hawaii Police Department as 72-year-old Thomas G. Rogers, who had no permanent address but had lived in Hawaii and Oregon.

An autopsy conducted June 16 ruled out foul play and determined that he died of natural causes. His identity was being withheld while detectives attempted to notify his family. Attempts to locate any family members were unsuccessful.

Rogers’ body was found June 15 under a makeshift shelter in overgrowth about 80 to 100 feet south of Kekuanaoa Street and approximately a 0.5-mile east of the intersection of Kekuanaoa Street and Kanoelehua Avenue.

Anyone with information about how to reach Rogers’ next of kin should call Detective Clarence Davies at 961-2383 or clarence.davies@hawaiicounty.gov.