A young Edmonton-area student has been found dead at a recycling plant in England, and family back home are searching for answers.
Garrett Elsey, 22, had been in England for less than a day when his body was found.
“There are a lot of outstanding questions,” said his uncle, Brent Elsey, speaking from Garrett’s home in Sherwood Park.
Monday morning, Bristol police said Elsey's death is not suspicious. The autopsy has been completed, but officials say they won't likely release the results Monday.
On Monday, the Avon and Somerset Constabularly, based in Bristol, formally identified the victim as 22-year-old Garrett Elsey. The Edmonton-area man was found dead at a recycling facility in Avonmouth last Thursday.
Police spokesman Wayne Baker says the investigation is continuing with the help of the coroner. He says a post-mortem has already been conducted, but police have yet to determine how Elsey's body ended up in the facility, adding that will be part of the investigation.
"We have provisional findings but further investigations are taking place in conjunction with the coroner," Baker said. "These are likely to take some time. But we can confirm that the death is not being treated as suspicious."
The family has requested privacy during the investigation. A family member earlier said that Elsey went to Bristol to study for a master's degree in international security.
There is no word on when Elsey's body will be returned to Canada.
Background:
Bristol police were called after a body was found at a recycling plant at about 10 a.m. Thursday. They searched nine different Dumpsters, then secured one of them as a crime scene near the university area.
Elsey said the family doesn’t know how Garrett’s body came to be in the Dumpster before it was picked up on the early morning rounds and transferred to the facility.
Garrett was a university student intending to earn a master’s degree in international security from the University of Bristol. He graduated from Ottawa’s Carleton University with a bachelor’s degree in political science and history.
He arrived in Bristol Wednesday, checked into his student residence and texted his parents to say all was well.
The airline lost his luggage, he told his parents, so he picked up some toiletries to carry him through. Then he went out for the evening with a friend he used to play rugby with in Canada.
“The friend is OK. Well, he’s devastated,” said Elsey. The two parted ways sometime in the evening, and Garrett never made it home.
Garrett’s parents were contacted Thursday. RCMP showed up at his father’s office and put him in touch with the Bristol police. They identified him with his passport, and the fingerprints he was required to give when he entered the country.
Elsey said police have witnesses and security tape, but are still trying to piece together what happened. An autopsy has not yet been completed to determine exactly what caused his death.
“It’s a university area. It’s not known to be a dangerous area,” said Elsey.
Garrett was scheduled to start class the next day.
Elsey said Garrett will be remember as an accomplished young man. “The accolades are pouring in,” he said.
Garrett played sports and studied well. “He’s done a lot of things in his short 22 years. He was hard working. When he set his mind to things, he was successful.”
The University of Bristol has issued a brief statement regarding Elsey's death:
"The University of Bristol was saddened to hear of the tragic death of one of its students, Garrett Elsey.
Garrett had recently arrived at Bristol to begin his studies for a Master of Science degree in International Security in the School of Sociology, Politics and International Studies.
The University offers its condolences to his family and friends and its thoughts are with them at this very sad time."
- Issued by Public Relations Office, Division of Communications, University of Bristol.
With files from The Canadian Press
Edmonton Journal