Body found under Codorus Creek bridge ID'd

A body discovered in Codorus Creek Thursday afternoon has been identified as that a Florida man.

James Edward Close IV, 36, with a last known address of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, was found in the Codorus Creek, under the Philadelphia Street bridge, according to the York County Coroner's Office.

Police and emergency crews were called to the 200 block of West Philadelphia Street in York City about 3:15 p.m. Thursday. 

At the scene, York City Police Capt. Tim Utley said it looked as though the Close had not been there very long. Close's body did not show signs of foul play, Utley said.

According to the coroner's office, an autopsy on Close was done Friday morning at Lehigh Valley Hospital, and the cause and manner of death are pending toxicology and other testing. 

Friends: Shortly after Close's body was pulled from the river, some of his friends, who claimed Close was homeless, were sitting at Foundry Park.

One friend, Michael Auman, of York City, said he had just seen Close earlier that day, adding that they had met for lunch at the York Rescue Mission about 12:30 p.m.

Auman said Close had spent the last few weeks with some other local homeless people in the area and would sleep at Foundry Park until recently, when police told him he could not sleep there.

He relocated under the bridge near where his body was found, according to Auman.