Death of man found along greenway deemed "accidental"

MEDFORD, Ore. – Police say the death of a man found near the Bear Creek Greenway appears to be accidental.

Medford police said on November 12, the body of 39-year-old Michael Ryan Snyder was discovered in an irrigation ditch off a bike path along the Bear Creek Greenway near the intersection of Biddle and Stevens Roads.

Initially, investigators said the death appeared to be suspicious. They treated the case as a homicide until the results of an autopsy could help prove otherwise.

On November 14, the Medford Police Department said a medical examiner determined the death was accidental. While the exact cause of Snyder’s death remains under investigation, there was evidence he was a victim of hypothermia. Investigators are still awaiting toxicology results.

According to MPD, the temperature the evening before Snyder was found was about 25°F. Investigators believe Snyder was out in the elements with light clothing during that night.