Body Pulled From Wicomico River

SALISBURY -- Salisbury Police are continuing to investigate the discovery of an elderly man’s body found floating in the Wicomico River on Monday afternoon including a possible connection to a fire at his residence hours earlier.

Around 2:20 p.m. on Monday, Salisbury Police responded to the area of the West Main Street bridge near the Brew River restaurant for a reported body floating in the Wicomico River. Salisbury Fire and EMS responded and the new Salisbury fire boat was requested to assist in the recovery.

The remains recovered floating in the river were later identified as William Alfred Cole, Jr. 72, of Salisbury. Due to the circumstances surrounding the death, Cole’s remains were transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Baltimore for an autopsy to determine the cause of death.

Later in the week, Salisbury Police began investigating a possible connection to recovery of Cole’s remains to a fire at his residence much earlier on Monday morning. The fire at Cole’s residence on Richmond Ave. caused over $20,000 in damages and displaced his family. The investigation revealed the fire started in a bedroom.

Meanwhile, Salisbury Police continue to investigate the circumstances of Cole’s death and subsequent recovery from the river. Anyone who may have seen Cole prior to his recovery from the river around 2:20 p.m. on Monday is urged to contact Salisbury Police at 410-548-3165.