Decomposing body found in Rhode Island wedding venue

The 57-year-old man, who was not identified, was undergoing chemotherapy and dialysis treatment, officials said.

A man’s decomposing body was found at a shuttered wedding venue in Rhode Island Tuesday morning, Providence police said.

Providence police responded around 11 a.m. Tuesday to Skyline at Waterplace, a wedding and event venue currently battling eviction proceedings from the city. The 57-year-old Black man, who was not identified by police, was pronounced dead at the Waterplace Restaurant.

According to a police report obtained by Boston.com, the body of the man “appeared to be deceased for several days due to the status of decomposition.” The restaurant has been closed since July 27.

Someone familiar with the man, whose identity was redacted, told police that the man was homeless and had permission to sleep in the restaurant, where he worked. However, Michael Mota, the owner of Skyline, said police were “mistaken” and the employee was not homeless or sleeping at the restaurant. He said he was only found with personal belongings.

The unnamed person also told police that the man “has been battling some serious health issues and has been going through chemotherapy and dialysis treatment for several months,” the police report said.

“He did have a key to the building, as he was in charge of maintenance, and we believe that he had entered the building to check on it and unfortunately passed away,” Mota told Boston.com. “Unfortunately, he was just a sick man who succumbed to the disease. It is my wishes to give the family time to grieve rather than read salacious articles about his wellbeing.”

A detective wrote that the death did not appear suspicious.

The incident comes to the controversial venue, which is owned by the state and managed by the Providence Parks Department, that has been facing eviction from the city since last fall, The Boston Globe reported.

In February, the city rejected a lease transfer, which will send Skyline to an eviction trial in Superior court in October, according to the Globe.

Skyline’s attorney, Michael Lepizzera, did not return a request for comment Wednesday evening, and calls to the venue went unreturned.