Brainard Cuthair, 49, was found lying in the grass about 75 feet off of S. Sligo Street just after 8 a.m. on Monday, Dec. 7. Medics were unable to find a pulse, police said.<\/p>\n
According to police, Cuthair\u2019s cellphone revealed that his last call was made at 9:59 p.m. the previous night. The local temperature dipped to 11 degrees overnight on Sunday.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s an extremely sad situation whenever someone dies outside,\u201d said Laurie Knutson, director of the Bridge Emergency Shelter in Cortez.<\/p>\n
According to Knutson, the shelter had 29 overnight guests on Sunday. The shelter\u2019s capacity is 45.<\/p>\n
Cuthair\u2019s death is believed to be the first from apparent exposure that has occurred within the city since October 2013. Knutson praised the police department that more deaths hadn\u2019t been reported.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe police officers look every night, and they sweep the areas that our homeless population tends to congregate,\u201d said Knutson, who added that officers drop people off at the shelter on multiple nights every week.<\/p>\n
According to police, an autopsy on Cuthair\u2019s body was conducted on Tuesday, but attempts to reach Montezuma County Coroner George Deavers on the exact cause of death were unsuccessful as of press deadlines.<\/p>\n
A police report reveals that several items were collected at the scene, including a half-empty bottle of mouthwash and a jacket, which was some 100 feet away from where Cuthair\u2019s body was discovered. Police said no suspicious items were located at the scene.<\/p>\n