A resident of Ithaca’s Jungle was declared dead Monday morning after being found unresponsive in the encampment behind Wegmans occupied by many of Ithaca’s homeless.
Jungle resident Richard Sherman discovered George Delaney’s body Monday morning upon his return from spending a week in Trumansburg. Delaney was found in Sherman’s tent. He arrived unannouced and uninvited, according to Sherman.
“When I walked in [Monday] morning everything was open, so I kicked the side of the tarp, and then I noticed the flies,” Sherman said. “I thought to myself, ‘There must be something sweet in there,’ but no, just a dead body.”
Autopsy reports have not yet been released. Delaney was last seen alive Friday night at approximately 10 p.m., according to the police report.
Several Jungle residents described Delaney as a “drifter,” who has been linked to several incidences of violence in the community.
In one incident, in July 2012, Delaney was arrested for stabbing and robbing Eric Maki, another Jungle resident, while he was sleeping, according to YNN.com. Police were able to locate Delaney when he allegedly attempted to use the victim’s credit card after the attack.
Original Author: Liz Camuti