PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Montgomery County authorities are pushing for answers in the death of a homeless man found beaten in a park 15 years ago.
A Lansdale public works employee was mowing the grass of Memorial Park on Oct. 20, 2005 when he noticed something in the baseball field dugout — a burnt orange sleeping bag with someone inside.
He called 911, and officer Mike Trail arrived. Trail, who is now chief of the Lansdale Police Department, said there was "indications of blood."
"Obviously as we got closer and closer, the gravity of what we were dealing with kind of hit us," he added.
The beaten body was identified as 49-year-old Michael Ewer, a homeless man who was known in the area as a gentle soul who loved riding trains and sleeping under the stars.
"He was very comfortable. He felt almost safe there," Trail said.
He had severe blunt trauma to the head.
"It was horrific. It was a lot of blood. It's one of those things that sticks with you," Trail explained.
49-year-old Michael Ewer was found beaten in a park 15 years agoLansdale Police Department
Trail, along with Montgomery County detectives, have spent years interviewing people who knew Ewer and tracking down tips, but they need more.
"This was a very targeted attack, OK. I don't believe this is just a random individual who had no knowledge of Mr. Ewer and just stumbled upon him," he noted.
If you have any information into the death of Ewer, there's a $5,000 reward.
"Any lead, how inconsequential you think it could be, any piece of information we are willing to take it, run it down and do what has to be done to bring justice to Michael Ewer," Trail said.
Get the whole story on our original true crime podcast Gone Cold: Philadelphia Unsolved Murders on the RADIO.COM app or wherever you get your podcasts.
