Federal Heights – An autopsy revealed Friday that blunt-force trauma was the cause of death of a man found dead earlier in the day in a Hollywood Video parking lot.
The injuries appear to have been caused by a motor vehicle accident and police are treating the death as a homicide, according to Lt. Gary Toldness of the Federal Heights Police Department.
The man was identified as 54-year-old James Popel.
Popel was reported missing early Friday by his sister when he did not return after going for a walk Thursday evening. Popel had diabetes and a history of medical problems, Toldness said.
Police received an anonymous phone call at 4:30 a.m. Friday alerting them to a person lying in the parking lot at the video store, on West 84th Avenue.
