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Homeless man who was found dead near Lakeline Mall has been identified

Police officials said the man was a "known homeless" person to the area, after speaking with different store owners within close proximity to the scene.

CEDAR PARK, Texas — A man in his early 50s – who police believed to have been homeless – was found dead on Sunday behind a Texaco gas station in the 2500 block of South Bell Drive, near Lakeline Mall. 

The man was identified Monday as 50-year-old Joseph Wayne Heffron. Heffron was a commonly known homeless man by the nickname "Sarge," according to police.

"An autopsy report was conducted Monday morning and based on our preliminary findings, his death is a result of a medical condition," Cedar Park police said in a press release.

The call about the Heffron's body came in at 1:43 p.m. on Sunday.

Cedar Park police originally tweeted just before 4 p.m. on Sunday it was "on scene of a homicide investigation in the 2500 block of South Bell. Police presence in the area."

A spokesperson told KVUE Sunday evening it was later being investigated as a "suspicious death" instead of a homicide and that the manner of the death was "not so clear cut." Cedar Park police said it would have much more details about Heffron's death after the autopsy has been performed. The autopsy report revealed Heffron died from a medical condition.

Police said in a Sunday press conference that Heffron was found in the brush area along the road. There were not any weapons found or signs of trauma, according to CPPD. 

Rudy Apodaca, who lives near where this happened, told KVUE he knew Heffron, and said he worked with him on keeping the community clean. 

“When he helped me clean up the area behind the Texaco here, he was a hard worker and he was very able bodied," said Apodaca. “He would call me when he needed something and I would help him if I could. Mostly he wanted work.”

WATCH CEDAR PARK POLICE GIVE UPDATES HERE

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