Missing Man Found Dead At Ashland Pond, Police Confirm

ASHLAND, MA — The Ashland man who was the subject of an intense search on Saturday was found dead, Ashland police have confirmed. Michael Curtis, 59, was last seen on Friday night at a halfway house in town.

Curtis, who was mentally ill, was known to leave the halfway house along Upland Road and walk around Ashland. He was reported missing on Saturday morning when he was not around for a morning check. He was found at around 3 p.m. at a pond north of Route 135 on the east side of town.

Ashland Chief Vincent Alfanso said that the incident is still under investigation, but Curtis was not the victim of a crime. State police are handling the investigation into Curtis' death.

A number of local and state agencies assisted in the search, including a state police helicopter, K9 dogs from Franklin and the state Department of Corrections, the Ashland fire department, and members of the regional Metropolitan Law Enforcement Council (MetroLEC). The town also sent multiple reverse 911 calls out to residents.

"The searchers worked very hard," Alfanso said.

On social media, Curtis' family posted a tribute to a man who they say was funny, full of joy, and who was a die hard Boston sports fan.

"He was a Boston Champion — a champion wit, a champion sports fan, a champion uncle, and a champion of love. He loved everyone, like everyone in the world, and told them so," his niece wrote on Facebook.