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Body of Man Found on Beach Identified

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The body of a man found earlier this week at the south end of Emma Wood State Beach in Ventura has been identified, but medical examiners have been unable to locate his next of kin, officials said Friday night.

A jogger found John William Gallant, 75, lying on a mattress between a bicycle path and the railroad tracks Wednesday, said deputy coroner James Baroni.

Gallant was identified through fingerprints and dental records from a Ventura County hospital, Baroni said. Gallant was not carrying identification when he was found, police said.

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Cause of death has not been determined officially, but Baroni said it appears Gallant died of natural causes. Toxicology and other test results were pending, he said.

At the time the body was found, several people told police they had seen a man matching Gallant’s description living on the beach for the last six months. Baroni said Gallant lived in recent years at a Ventura nursing home.

Baroni said coroner’s investigators want nursing home employees to help locate Gallant’s family.

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