Medical examiner: Cumberland man died due to homicidal violence

CUMBERLAND, R.I. — A day after a relative of 80-year-old Stanley Stowik told to NBC 10 News that police are calling his death "suspicious," a medical examiner said he died due to homicidal violence.

The relative also said Stowik died sometime between late Friday night and early Saturday morning.

Heavy police presence surrounded his Indiana Avenue home from Saturday through Wednesday as police investigate. Residents of the neighbor say he's always been there.

"He comes with the neighborhood," said Tayla Wagner, who grew up across the street and says she has known Stowik her whole life.

Wagner and her husband, Tyler, said that they were in the back yard of their home across the street when Stowik came home Friday night sometime before 10 p.m. They say nothing unusual happened that they could tell.

"He came home. We heard him start his tractor up. He went inside and we didn't hear anything after that," the Wagners said.

Stowik spent every Friday night at American Legion Post 14 in Cumberland. The members there call him "Stas" and said he was a well-liked guy and they're sad to see him go.

"You could count on him coming here," says Jeff Denzer. "We would say, 'Oh, here comes Stas.' And he would tell you to get out of the way."

His neighbors are still on edge after learning of Stowik's fate as the investigation into his death continues.

"It's scary to think that it's so close to home like that," Tayla Wagner said.

Stowik was a retired employee of the town of Cumberland. He was also a U.S. Navy veteran who served in the Korean War.

He leaves behind four daughters, two sons and six grandchildren