Homeless person found dead in an Edam garbage dumpster

An investigation into the death of a man found inside a garbage bin in Edam late Sunday morning suggested that no foul play was involved. Police say the man was a 39-year-old from Muntendam, a small village in Groningen over 170 kilometers away from where he was found dead.

The body was found with its legs sticking out of a wheelie bin on the grounds of a meeting center used by the Edam-Vollendam municipality, and managed by the regional water board. “We live here in the street and were sent photos by our neighbors,” a local resident told broadcaster NH. “We were shocked.”

Ambulances were sent to the Schepenmakersdijk in the Noord-Holland town at about 11:30 a.m. on Sunday, records show. Police on Sunday had planned an autopsy, following a forensic investigation at the scene, according to broadcaster NH.

The property where the body was discovered is a national monument. The building is noted for its fenced courtyard, an elaborate pilaster adorning the gated entrance, and statues representing the four seasons in the garden, according to the government archive.