Mystery Body Washes Up near Exmouth

Detectives investigating the mystery surrounding how a man’s body came to be washed up in the Exmouth area have released an e-fit of his face.

The body was discovered on 18 July between Exmouth and Lympstone.

After carrying out numerous enquiries and eliminating any local missing persons, both the identity and the cause of death still remain a mystery.

Investigating officer Det Sgt Joanne Hall of Exmouth CID said: “There is nothing to indicate foul play, although police are keeping an open mind as to how the man died.

“We do know that the man did not drown or have a heart attack, and there is nothing suspicious on the body.

“What we are desperate to do is to identify him – somebody somewhere must know this person and be missing him. We hope that this e-fit will help in tracking down any family or loved ones he may have had.”

DS Hall said that the team wanted to throw the net wider than the immediate Exmouth area.

“We are still in the process of examining tidal patterns to establish where he may have been brought in from but it is not thought he may just be from the Exmouth area – he could have come from anywhere on the nearby coast or even a passing ship.”

The e-fit is carried out by a technician and is based on photographs of the man’s face taken at the scene of the recovery.
He is described as a white man in his 50s or 60s approximately 6 feet tall and of medium to stocky build with short, grey hair in a crew cut which is growing out and a moustache which is a brown/red colour.

He was found wearing navy-coloured Levis jeans with a blue stain on the right hand back pocket, black Reebok trainers (with Reebok written in white along the sole), a black t-shirt, a blue/green/white chequered shirt over the t-shirt, black socks and a chunky black belt with silver engraved trim.

Anyone with any information is asked to please call police on 101 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111 quoting police ref. KE/12/1669.