Bridgeport Police Identify Man Found Dead In Bunnell's Pond At Beardsley Park

BRIDGEPORT, CT — Bridgeport police have identified a man found dead in Bunnell's Pond at Beardsley Park on Sunday as 38-year-old Stephen Hall of Bridgeport.

Hall was reported missing by his family Aug. 7, and a Silver Alert was issued. Detectives had been investigating his disappearance.

The department's Major Crimes Unit and the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Farmington confirmed Hall's identity through DNA using Rapid DNA terminals at both agencies. Hall's family participated in the identification process.

"The Bridgeport Police Department's thoughts and prayers go out to Mr. Hall's family," said Det. Jeffrey Holtz in a statement.

Two fishermen reported seeing an unresponsive body in a remote area in the northern section of Bunnell's Pond at about 3:42 p.m. Sunday. Patrol officers, detectives, firefighters and medics responded. An investigator with the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner arrived a short time later.

An autopsy was performed Monday morning at the medical examiner's office. Hall's cause of death has not been determined.

The Bridgeport Fire Department removed Hall's body from the pond. He was wearing clothing that his family confirmed belonged to him.

Police said Hall appeared to have been in the water for possibly as long as a week, necessitating the DNA identification process.