Medical Examiner's Office identifies homeless man found dead in alcove near liquor store

MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- The Milwaukee County Medical Examiner's Office has identified a homeless man found dead in an alcove near a liquor store on January 1st, 2015 -- one of two possible cold weather related deaths in Milwaukee so far this year.

The man has been identified as 58-year-old Serafin Rios-Flores. He was pronounced dead shortly before 9:00 p.m. January 1st.

He was found in an alcove near a liquor store on S. 1st Street in Milwaukee.

The Milwaukee County Medical Examiner's Office performed an autopsy on January 2nd.

The Medical Examiner's report says Rios-Flores has a history of alcoholism. He was found with a backpack, multiple full garbage bags and an almost empty bottle of vodka.

His core temperature was 65 degrees when he was found. No external trauma was found on Rios-Flores by the Medical Examiner.

The Medical Examiner's report says Rios-Flores was cold to the touch, but not frozen when he was found. He was wearing several layers of jackets and coats, and one pair of pants and socks. One shoe was found to be off his foot and his pants were soaked with urine.

A 1.75 liter bottle of vodka was found near his body, along with two brown hefty bags of aluminum cans.

In his backpack, the Medical Examiner found documents from two discharge dates from Sinai for ER visits related to intoxication.

Temperatures on January 1st ranged from 15 to 30 degrees.

Rios-Flores was identified by fingerprint comparison.

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