Body Found in Backyard Swimming Pool

The body of a man was discovered in a backyard swimming pool in El Cajon

Police are investigating a man’s death after his body was found in a backyard swimming pool in El Cajon Sunday morning.

According to El Cajon police Lt. Tim Henton, the resident of a home on the 1000 block of Terrace Crest woke up this morning and discovered a man’s lifeless body inside her swimming pool. She called police just after 8 a.m.

Henton said the drowning victim’s description matched reports of an unknown man who was spotted "running around the neighborhood" early Sunday morning.

“[At] about 4 a.m. we got a bunch of calls about a man running around the neighborhood and at least one person saw him jumping into someone's back yard in the 900 block of the same street,” Henton confirmed.

“We went out there looked around couldn't find anybody,” he added.

Henton said most witnesses just saw shadows, but at least one witness was able to give police a description of the man seen running around the streets.

Henton said that description matches the man found in the swimming pool.

Police said there were no signs of trauma on the body. They are investigating whether drugs or alcohol played a factor in the drowning.

On Sunday afternoon the medical examiner's office released a report identifying the drowning victim as 31-year-old transient Jose Luis Rodriguez.

According to the report, Rodriguez was found unresponsive in the swimming pool. When he was removed from the pool by police, his death was immediately confirmed due to rigor, the ME report said.

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