News
TAMPA — Police have identified a body found in the Hillsborough River as Michael Wilson, a 73-year-old Army veteran who lived at a nursing home in the V.M. Ybor neighborhood.
The cause of his death is under investigation. Foul play is not suspected; nor do police believe Wilson intended to die.
On Thursday, Wilson left the Home Association after writing a note, thanking everyone for caring for him. He said he was going to Arizona. He often spoke of Arizona, investigators learned.
Wilson was not committed to the nursing home. He was free to come and go.
The nursing home managed his money, but he could withdraw cash when needed, said police spokeswoman Andrea Davis. Facility directors believed he may have been saving money but weren't sure he had enough to travel to Arizona.
When he didn't return Thursday, the home reported him missing. Police checked nearby bus stations and interviewed people at the nursing home.
Then, about 1 p.m. Friday, a boater called 911 to report a possible body in the river. Police divers found it about 8 p.m. near the bridge at Columbus Drive.
It's unclear how Wilson got to the river, which is about 2 miles from the nursing home. He typically used a cane and was unsteady on his feet, Davis said.
Wilson had no family listed in his file at the Home Association or the U.S. Department of Veteran's Affairs, records show.
He never married, had no children and was estranged from an unnamed brother, according to the Medical Examiner's Office.
News researcher John Martin contributed to this report. Jessica Vander Velde can be reached at jvandervelde@sptimes.com or (813) 226-3433.
Loading...
