Authorities have identified the deceased body found in the harbor at Long Wharf as missing person, Eric Munsell, a 24-year-old North End resident who had not been seen since February 8th. He was a recent Boston University graduate and working as an engineer at General Electric. The identification was made public on Thursday afternoon by the Suffolk County District Attorney’s office.
A “non-viable male” body was pulled from the harbor on Wednesday afternoon, according to the Boston Fire Department. The body was sighted in the water by a passerby on the north side of Long Wharf facing Christopher Columbus Park and Commercial Wharf.
Firefighters recovered a non-viable male. @bostonpolice now on scene to investigate. Fire companies clearing at 12:50pn
— Boston Fire Dept. (@BostonFire) April 23, 2014
Munsell was a Margaret Street resident that went missing after a night out in downtown Boston to celebrate his birthday. Earlier that evening, Munsell was with friends before being escorted out from Market Lounge on Broad Street.
Video footage near Long Wharf indicated the area was near his last whereabouts, according to Boston Police Lt. Detective Chuck Wilson who spoke about the case at a public safety meeting. In addition, Eric’s father spoke at a March candlelight vigil noting that “Eric would come to the water to think.”
An investigation continues, although the Suffolk County DA’s office said they currently have no signs of foul play.
Many people have inadvertently fallen into the harbor in the Long Wharf waterfront area. In 2010, 25-year-old Eugene Losik also went missing in a similar case and his body was later found in the harbor. Officials have discussed changes to the perimeter chains at Long Wharf that would increase safety especially at night.
They have identified the body as Eric Munsell, according to Boston.com.
Very sad. I can only hope his family can have closure and peace now. RIP Eric Musell.
http://boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/2014/04/24/body-found-boston-harbor-missing-boston-university-grad/Vz1BMOMB9uJ5icBBGwoy5I/story.html
The post has been updated with the information from the Suffolk District Attorney’s office identifying Eric Munsell.
rip sad .. smart kid.. had his whole life ahead of him.. I hate saying now his family can have some closure not that its going to make it better for them and his friends
Lawyer up market lounge losers, and I pray you lose… Eric’s friends would have gotten him home safe… Market lounge bouncer responsible it couldn’t have been a colder nite in boston, I am so angry for this senseless avoidable loss of a viable young man …. Boycott market lounge prayers to Eric’s family friends loved ones coworkers – let there be peace… Cheryl former n end resident
This lounge should be closed permanenetly and they should never be allowed to open another business
– long 3 months of sadness thinking of Eric –
..However, sadly again, I do not believe that Eric is included in the below scenario – akin to Eugene who had a similar demise.
‘Many people have inadvertently fallen into the harbor in the Long Wharf waterfront area.’
Know matter which way you twist and turn this horrible death, the Bouncer had no right throwing him out without his
coat and he should have at least been able to notify one of his friends that he was being removed from the premises.
I think it should be a Mandatory Rule that there should be Police Detail at the doors of these clubs/restaurants to
eliminate a situation like this from ever happening again. The bars/restaurants have been getting away with too many
incidents. How many more deaths do we have to experience before the City enforces a Mandatory Police Detail to
all of these problem establishments. Does Money mean more than a Human Life?
these deaths are not accidental, in my opinion.
something horrible is happening on the waterfront.
it’s astounding police are dismissing the possibility.
why would these young men, not wearing warm clothing, go to the water’s edge in sub-zero weather?
if it doesn’t make sense, it’s probably not true.
Very sad, RIP.
The Market had a Police Detail that night, probably the only thing they did right that night, but yes it should be mandatory for bars over a certain amount of people. Police Detail System needs reform, many bars restaurants etc ask for Police Details however many go unfilled, could go on and on but system needs reform and independent review.
James do you know this for a FACT, that there was Boston Police Detail at Market?
James, I think we need someone with some legal expertise to weigh in on this tragic incident. What are the responsibilities of an establishment that serves alcohol? We know that if they over serve a person and that person is involved in say a drunken driving accident they are liable.We also know that if they deem a person has had too much to drink they by law have to shut them off.They [Market] handled this situation poorly they could have called a cab for this young man or looked for his friends but I’m not sure they did anything illegal.So anyone out there with a legal backround?
Mariafrancesca With all due respect to the victim, his family and friends I doubt that there is a serial killer running amok throwing people into the harbor.These tragedies always seem to involve drinking.
No disrespect to Eric and to his friends and family has anybody ever heard of the smiley face murders?
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has issued the following statement:
“…The FBI has reviewed the information about the victims provided by two retired police detectives, who have dubbed these incidents the “Smiley Face Murders,” and interviewed an individual who provided information to the detectives. To date, we have not developed any evidence to support links between these tragic deaths or any evidence substantiating the theory that these deaths are the work of a serial killer or killers. The vast majority of these instances appear to be alcohol-related drownings. The FBI will continue to work with the local police in the affected areas to provide support as requested…”[8]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smiley_face_murder_theory
I in no way would want to upset or disrespect Eric’s memory or his family.
I have been researching the drownings in Boston and all over New England for several years.
Police need to stop ignoring the connections.
There was another suspicious drowning of a young man who left a Bruin’s game a few years back and was waiting for his fiancee to pick him up.
His body was pulled from the Charles River in front of Spaulding.
So, he walked into the water on his on, too, thinking his ride was in there?
I’m sorry…this is a horrible, heartbreaking tragedy and I hope Eric’s family gets to the truth.
Have you researched how many young people have fallen off roofs in Boston?
that’s not an appropriate or fair analogy.
i won’t get into specifics here since the last thing i want to do is upset eric’s family and friends who could be reading this.
Mariafrancesca,
I remember the young man who disappeared after the Bruin’s game and was found in the Charles River.
Re: Eric: His father said he would go to the water to think. This time it turned into a tragedy, but I do not
think it was murder. The iron loop perimeter chains do not function as safety boundaries
for people walking around at night. An elderly man went off the edge in his wheelchair a few years ago.
There will be more protection at Long Wharf in the future. We will all remember Eric and his family.
If the history of the young man being a victim of mistaken identity has taught us anything it is that we have to be extremely careful before hurling accusations or conspiracy theories around without any facts to support them.I
but it’s OK for you to blame this young man for his own death due to drunkeness?
Mariafrancesca, back up I am not blaming anyone although I do have issues with the the way that the establishment and bouncer handled the situation.Common sense will tell you that if the victim was asked to leave the premises and escorted out the door that he had too much to drink.The other case that you mention is someone leaving a Bruin’s game.Have you ever attended a game at the TD Garden ? A lot of fan’s have already had too much to drink before they even get in the game.Last week a passenger on a Southwest airline who had too much to drink attempted to open an emergency door in flight, Just yesterday a passenger who had too much to drink attempted to enter the cockpit of a Virgin airways flight in mid air.You have to be living under a rock if your not aware of the alcohol related issues in the N.E. ad other parts of Boston.One other note this past week two students were arraigned on beating a homeless man half to death after attending a booze fueled party in Allston.
Do you remember the drunken young woman who fell off the roof on Prince St. and survived and did not even live on
the premises, and sued the landlord for $4,000,000 and received $750,000. The other incident was on Hanover
Street, and people were eating in Taranta’s Restaurant & a body came down from the roof and the only thing that
saved him was the Restaurant Awning. I know people who drink, smoke weed and these things are not happening to
them.
Tuuth, I remember the incident as well the young doctor who had just graduated med. school and went out with friends in the afternoon to celebrate.He later fell [captured on video] into the subway pit at Govt. Center fortunately there were some bystanders who went to his aid if it happened late at night he would most likely have been another statistic. This happened over this past winter.I’m willing to bet that each and every person reading this has had a nightmare experience with someone who has had too much to drink.or knows a decent person who just cant tolerate liquor like other people and becomes a different person when under the influence.
Sounds like a bunch of Abolitionists. Simply being drunk doesn’t get one tossed out of a bar. If that were the usual case, the bars around here would be empty. Someone being asked to leave a bar is normally because of their behavior and normally having had a few influences the behavior.
I think Maria is just trying to raise the possibility, which has been done in other forums. In fact, two NYPD detectives have written a book and a documentary has been filmed regarding the volume of drownings under similar circumstances.
With all due respect, two things strike me:
1 – that Mr. Munsell was ejected with his phone and, yet, did not make a call to his friends to arrange for his coat or a ride, etc.. Strangely, the BPD statement doesn’t make reference to his phone, which was reported to be in his possession, when he was expelled.
2 – That with the temperatures at the time and the lack of a coat, that Mr. Munsell was inclined to peruse his thoughts at the even colder waters edge, as opposed to going home.
Also, so many facts that seem to have been omitted. Like, how was Munsell ejected without his friends noticing? Did they try to call him when they realized it, or did they not have his phone number? How much time transpired between his ejection and they looking for him, outside?
There are plenty of documentaries and books written other conspiracy theories that have little or no credence. In response to the three things that strike you.
1. Actually he did have his phone on him after he was the expelled as the police actually used his cell phone to track the pings of the cell tower it was in contact with which showed him moving towards the Waterfront.
2. Clearly you haven’t had a bit too much and took a little detour on the way home.
3. Again clearly you haven’t had a bit too much to drink at an establishment and stumbled over to the bathroom at the other side of the bar for your friends. I happens all the time where you are told to leave and your friends have no idea you left.
Why don’t we allow some proper time for the young man’s family to grieve before you bombard them with all of these crazy conspiracy theories.
Well, “Kid”, I can tell you I’ve had a little more experience with this then you will ever know, which is why this doesn’t make any sense, particularly due to the claims made by the “friends” that he wasn’t drunk.
Clearly it’s one or the other: either he was loaded or he wasn’t. If it was the former, then all of this crap, blaming the establishment , is just projecting. If it was the latter, then nothing makes any sense.
Sure, don’t ask any questions – just assume you know what you need to know – which isn’t much…
I have followed all the cases of missing young men who end up in water from around the country. Many of them are very suspicious. In Eric’s case however, I think it is as it appears. He had too much to drink.. maybe it caught up with him all of a sudden. After being ejected from the bar. (a crime in my opinion..no coat.. not allowed to tell his friends??) he became a bit disoriented and went the wrong way. He eventually fell into the water.
I am so sad that no one who saw him called a cab or called the police since he must have appeared “out of it”. I am so sad that , in a tragic twist of fate, his friends searched all night for him and didn’t go down by the water until much later, thinking he went the other way. I feel sad that his body was not found sooner. I feel most sad that the world lost one of the nicest young men I’ve had the pleasure of meeting. Rest in peace Eric.