BOSTON, May 31, 2012—Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley today delivered the following remarks at Charlestown’s Paul Revere Park on the death last week of 45-year-old Normand Varieur:

Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley is joined by Massachusetts State Police troopers and detectives at Charlestown’s Paul Revere Park to discuss the death of Normand Varieur, a 45-year-old homeless man found unresponsive with a head injury on May 21. Varieur died at Massachusetts General Hospital without regaining consciousness, and authorities consider his death suspicious.

“At about 2:20 pm on Monday, May 21, State Police assigned to Troop H discovered an unconscious adult male here at the fishing pier near Paul Revere Park.  The man was unresponsive when troopers found him, and he was transported to Massachusetts General Hospital with a serious head injury. Based on medical, forensic, and other evidence developed thus far, we believe he sustained that injury on Sunday, May 20, during the afternoon or evening. 

“The man was later identified as Normand Varieur, age 45 and homeless.  That ID was made using his fingerprints, because he had no identification on his person and he never regained consciousness.  He succumbed to his injury on Friday evening.

“Because Paul Revere Park is state property managed by the Department of Conservation and Recreation, I’ve assigned our State Police Detective Unit to the case.  They’re working hand in hand with Troop H investigators and the State Police Crime Scene Services Section and they’ve made some progress in their work.

“But what we need now more than anything are witnesses.  This is an area frequented by people walking their dogs and fishing.  These are the people we’d most like to speak with.  We believe someone out there may have seen something on Sunday, May 20 – perhaps a suspicious person or encounter. 

“Mr. Varieur was a white male about 5’7” tall with gray hair and a gray beard.  He was wearing jeans and a blue hooded sweatshirt.  Anyone who saw him – or even more helpful, saw him talking to or interacting with someone – here on Sunday, May 20, is urged to let us know.  But I want to make clear that it doesn’t have to seem important for it to be very valuable to investigators.

“Like too many others today, Mr. Varieur had no pace to call home.  He lived on life’s margins.  But he had a right to that life and we intend to speak for him now that he lies in silence.  I’d urge anyone who can help to do so.  You can contact State Police Headquarters by calling 911 from a cell phone or the Suffolk County State Police Detective Unit at 617-727-8817.  Thank you.”

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All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.