Man’s body found behind motel garbage bin

Herald staff

EDMONDS — Police and the Snohomish County medical examiner are investigating the death of an Edmonds man whose body was found behind a motel garbage bin Tuesday.

The 46-year-old man was found face down on a bed of wet leaves and ivy outside the Seattle North TraveLodge in the 23800 block of Highway 99 about 7:40 a.m. by Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad workers.

Front desk clerk Scott Wurtzel called 911.

"He looked like he was dressed for spring or summer," Wurtzel said, adding that the man had on a blue shirt and black sweat pants. He was not a motel guest, Wurtzel said.

The motel’s head housekeeper dumped the last garbage before 2 p.m. Monday, and the body wasn’t there then, or when he left at 3 p.m., Wurtzel said.

There were some empty beer cans and a zippered briefcase near the body, he said.

An autopsy is scheduled today.

There were no obvious signs of trauma and no indication of robbery, Edmonds police spokesman Sgt. Jerry Gannon said.

The man has had some contact with police, but was not wanted, Gannon said.