Man Found Dead in Resident's Shed in Old Saybrook, Connecticut on January 9

OLD SAYBROOK - After 44-year-old Jeffrey William Stark was found dead in a shed, local and state authorities are in the midst of completing several investigations.

Old Saybrook Police Department Lieutenant Michael Spera said the department received a call shortly after 10:30 a.m. on Jan. 9 of an unconscious and unresponsive individual in a shed behind the home at 26 Boston Post Road.

Upon arrival, officers found Stark who had been living in a wooden 4' x 8' shed which was converted into an illegal residence.

The Office of the Chief State Medical Examiner's Office reported that an autopsy was inconclusive and additional tests will be necessary.

Results from those tests could take between twelve and fifteen weeks.

"The town has resources to help people, they don't need to live in a shed," Spera said, adding that the town will "prevent people from living in spaces not suitable for human occupancy" through enforcing town and state regulations.

According to town tax records, the property is owned by Charles Barnes.

Calls made to Barnes through his listed telephone number were not answered.

Upon discovering Stark's body and the conditions of the shed and surrounding property, police contacted the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection, Connecticut River Area Health District, and the Old Saybrook zoning, inland wetlands, and building departments and fire marshal.

Health District Director Mary Jane Engle said the shed itself had garbage and waste and was in danger of being a breeding place for mosquitoes and rats.

Engle said the structure was not "habitable" since it failed to have proper lighting, ventilation, a hookup to a septic system, a permanent heating source, or a kitchen.

"It doesn't even come close to being a habitable dwelling," Engle said, adding that only a bed and an unsafe extension cord were found in the shed.

In this case, Engle said, the Landlord Tenant Act will apply which means a warning has been posted on the shed prohibiting anyone from using it as a living area.

The accumulation of garbage took place over a long period of time, Engle said, adding that Barnes has been cited for violating town regulations in the past.

At this point, Engle said she is working with Barnes to have progress inspections and will coordinate with the other departments involved in the investigation.

As long as Barnes cooperates and abides by reasonable timeframes for the cleanup, Engle does not anticipate the health district will impose penalties.

Building Official Don Lucas said the shed was only one of five found on the property that were constructed without proper permits.

Four of the sheds were wooden while the fifth had a metal frame.

Lucas said he will give Barnes two weeks to respond to his letter before taking additional action.

"It's not unusual to find sheds placed on a property without permits but it's very unusual to find someone living in them," Lucas said.

Engle said another major health violation included piles of garbage in the back yard which was dangerous to walk around.

While Old Saybrook is considering enacting an anti-blight ordinance, Engle said it is anticipated to be similar to Clinton's.

In that town, the ordinance is applicable only to properties visible from a street.

Such an ordinance would not be helpful in this case since the fence and house provided adequate screening from the road allowing the garbage to accumulate.

Ron Wofford, the emergency response coordinator with the DEP's spill response division, came to the property and has had discussions with Barnes regarding materials that need to be removed.

Cyndy Chanaca, spokesperson for the DEP, said that Barnes agreed to take financial responsibility for the cleanup and cooperate with the department.

The DEP found old car batteries, an old furnace with a small amount of leaking oil along with 20 pint-size containers of chlorinated solvents which included paint, paint thinner and lubricant oil.

These chemicals, according to Chanaca, "posed no threat to the environment or natural resources".

A required cleanup is being performed by a licensed contractor from Cahill Environmental Services and the DEP does not plan to levy civil or criminal penalties against Barnes provided the site is successfully remediated.