INDIAN RIVER COUNTY, Fla. — The Indian River County Sheriff's Office said that at this point there is no connection between the two bodies found in the same area this week near Sebastian — one found on Monday and the other on Wednesday.
On Monday, the body of James Thompson, 44, a Brevard County resident, was found on the west shoreline near U.S. Highway 1 and the north county line by a person fishing in the area. An autopsy is pending in that case.
WATCH BELOW: Sheriff: 2 deaths appear unconnected but 'still considered suspicious'
During a Thursday morning news conference, Sheriff Eric Flowers said Thompson had been staying with his girlfriend at a hotel in Sebastian and was last seen on Sunday walking northbound on U.S. Highway 1 around 1:30 p.m.
"This gentleman has a history of fentanyl use. He has a history of mental health issues," Flowers said. "On the third of July, he made a purchase of methamphetamine. He had gone into a manic state."
Flowers said Thompson had been to mental health facilities in Brevard County "many times".
According to the sheriff, there was only a minor contusion on his eyebrow and no violence.
SECOND BODY FOUND WEDNESDAY
Then on Wednesday, shortly after 4 p.m., a second body, which was heavily decomposed, was located in shrubbery along the east shoreline near 14510 US Highway 1, just north of Sebastian. This body, a 65-year-old man, was found just across the street from Monday's location.
Flowers said this man had a temporary address with his brother in Sebastian and was out of jail on pretrial release after being arrested by Plantation, Florida, police on a charge of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon in Broward County.
"Plantation (police) was in the process, or had just obtained a warrant for him for absconding on his pretrial release for being up here in Indian River County," Flowers said.
The sheriff's office has not released the 65-year-old man's name but said he had a serious history of seizures.
Flowers said the man's brother took him to a hospital on Sunday.
"He was still in hospital socks, and he just said, 'I'm not going back to the hospital. I'm not doing it,'" Flowers said. "He walked away from the hospital against medical advice, and his brother last saw him walking north at 7:30 a.m. (Sunday)."
Flowers said at this point there's nothing that connects these two cases.
"We've done autopsies on both of these bodies, no stab wounds, nothing that leads us to believe that there was violence associated with either of these guys," Flowers said. "Really a sad, sad case."
Flowers said this is still an active investigation until they get the toxicology results to determine the cause of death.
WATCH BELOW: Sheriff Eric Flowers holds news conference after 2 bodies found this week
"Obviously we have nothing that leads us to believe that this is anything but two random incidents that unfortunately happened in the same area. But also with these drug issues, we've had some overdose issues, and it's possible that there's some bad fentanyl or methamphetamine or something that's on the streets that could be deeper than just these issues. So I would just urge caution to any of our drug users or abusers: seek treatment as soon as possible. (The deaths) could be a result of some bad dope."
Flowers said both of the cases are still considered suspicious.
"If there's something deeper to this and we've got drug-related issues, we want to find out who sold them drugs. We're going to look at everything we can find out about these folks," Flowers said. "We're going to continue working on these, and as far as we're concerned, any death that isn't a natural death is suspicious. We're always going to look into them and take them seriously."
WHAT LOCAL RESIDENTS ARE SAYING ABOUT 2 DEATHS
WPTV Treasure Coast reporter Cassandra Garcia spoke to residents who live in the area where the bodies were found to get their thoughts.
Jim Sullivan was surprised after the first body was found Monday.
"It's weird because this is a very nice, docile community, low crime," Sullivan said.
He was even more surprised to learn that a second body was discovered there days later.
"You're talking about a football field's length from one to the other really, and so it's not something we've ever seen or we can get accustomed to," Sullivan said. "It was comforting to know that they are, for all appearances, unrelated, but it is still disconcerting just knowing that two bodies were found within a straight line of sight from my bedroom window."
Anyone with information in either of these cases is asked to contact the Indian River County Sheriff's Office or Treasure Coast Crime Stoppers to remain anonymous.
