ITEM PHOTO BY OWEN O’ROURKE
Police cars park on Surfside Road as they investigate a possible homicide.
By BRIDGET TURCOTTE
LYNN — A man found dead in the snow has been identified as Carlos Aponte, 38, according to the Essex County District Attorney’s office.
Authorities are investigating the possible homicide after a resident found Aponte’s body while snow blowing the sidewalk early Monday morning on Surfside Road.
Police were first called to the scene on a reported disturbance a little after 4 a.m. but found nothing unusual. They were called back an hour later when the resident discovered the body in the area of 10 Surfside Road.
Aponte suffered visible injuries to his upper chest and lower neck. Investigators are unsure of the cause of the injuries and have not determined whether they are gunshot or stab wounds, according to the DA’s office.
The cause of death will require a determination by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.
Angie Diarra, who lives two doors down, said she didn’t know anything had happened until she saw emergency crews and news reporters gathering outside.
“I’m a light sleeper and I didn’t hear anything,” Diarra said. “I would be surprised to hear that someone was shot right outside my house and I didn’t wake up.”
Resident Becca Blake said her neighbors were loud and partying late Sunday night into Monday morning, which is unusual. But unfortunately, violence in the neighborhood is common, she said.
“We have a lot of fighting and a lot of arguing that goes on over here,” she said. “We hear people in the hallway (of the apartment building) screaming ‘I’m going to kill you.’ It gets really bad sometimes. I’m surprised police don’t come around much with so many young kids here to witness all this. Then they grow up and act the same way.”
Blake said Monday she was afraid to walk to work later in the afternoon.
The DA’s office, Essex State Police Detective Unit, Lynn police and state police continue to investigate the death.
Bridget Turcotte can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @BridgetTurcotte
