Death Of Clinton Township Man Found In Vents Was Accidental: Examiner

CLINTON TOWNSHIP, MI — An autopsy determined the death of a 36-year-old man whose body was found in the ventilation system inside a Macomb Community College building was accidental, according to the Oakland County Medical Examiner's Office.

Officials said Jason Anthony Thompson was asphyxiated after he became trapped in the ventilation system inside the Macomb Center for the Performing Arts at the college's Center Campus building in Clinton Township.

Police said officers found Thompson's body in the vents Sunday while investigating a complaint of a foul smell. Thompson was last seen by his family on Oct. 25 and reported missing on Nov. 1. Police do not know why Thompson was in the ventilation system and do not suspect any foul play.

Patch reached out to Macomb Community College spokesperson Jeanne Nicol for more information about the investigation, which is being handled by campus police, and will update this story when we hear back.

Sterling Heights police Chief Dale Dwojakowski told the Detroit News that Thompson sent text messages to his sister, who denied receiving the texts, indicating he was on the college’s campus in Clinton Township before he reported missing. Dwojakowski said the messages sparked concern about Thompson’s mental state.

"The messages sent to the sister caused her to think, 'He doesn’t seem like he’s in the right frame of mind, and he says he’s on campus,'" Dwojakowski told the newspaper.

Thompson's sister, who identified herself as Shelby on social media, blasted the news media for failing to publicize his disappearance before his body was found Sunday.

"If you are with the media seeking an interview, ask yourself if you bothered to assist me when my brother was missing for 34 days and I was BEGGING every single newstation, outlet, newspaper etc. to run a story and get his face out there to bring attention to his case to bring my brother home- you have your answer," Shelby wrote in a post. "(And) no, you are not welcome to use my photos or videos to make headlines for a story about a person whose life you couldn’t even begin to capture in words."

A GoFundMe page was set up to raise money for Thompson's memorial service and his two kids. As of Thursday afternoon, the page raised $3,725, short of its $15,000 goal.

"Jason was loved by many people and his family has been through a lot over the past month while he has been missing," the post read. "Jason was a father to two beautiful children, Killian and Kiara. He was a son, brother, uncle, cousin, but most important he was loved by his family and friends and will be missed."