ANN ARBOR, Mich. – A retired University of Michigan professor was found dead Monday inside his townhouse in the 3200 block of Alpine Drive.
Ann Arbor police have identified the man as 76-year-old Robert Sharp. Police said his death was no accident. There were signs of foul play at the home, prompting a homicide investigation.
Recommended Videos
Sharp's body was found around 9:45 p.m. Monday during a welfare check. Investigators believe he died sometime the night before.
Alpine Drive in Ann Arbor leads to a quiet neighborhood surrounded by a golf course. A portion of the street became the focus of the homicide investigation late Monday.
"I knew something was wrong because it's all taped off," said Jeff Steger, who has been washing windows in the community for a handful of years. "I do the windows and the gutters and talk to a lot of people while I'm working."
One of the people he spoke to on the job was the 76-year-old man found dead in the condo.
"He came out and offered us water," Steger said. "He was always very pleasant, very nice."
Police said the man's body was found in his basement. An acquaintance of the man called police for a welfare check, and when police got to the condo, they found evidence of foul play and ruled the death suspicious, according to authorities.
"Pretty shaken up," Steger said. "It just doesn't seem right."
The condominium complex has been blocked off since Monday night as police continue to investigate. Detectives and crime scene technicians walked in and out of the man's home to look for clues about what happened to him.
"To think that something could happen in this community, you would never think that it would happen here," Steger said.
Anyone with information on Sharp's death needs to call the Ann Arbor Police Department tip line at 734-794-6939.