A homeless man’s body was found Wednesday afternoon in some bushes near the Santa Barbara Rescue Mission, according to the Santa Barbara Police Department.

The remains were discovered at about 2:30 p.m. across the street from the Rescue Mission on the 500 block of East Yanonali Street, in an area frequented by homeless people.

Based on investigation thus far, police said they do not believe the death was suspicious and don’t believe any crime was committed.

The man was a 63-year-old homeless person in Santa Barbara who was last seen alive at about 8 a.m. Wednesday, Sgt. Riley Harwood said.

“He is someone who we are very familiar with.”

The man, whose name was not released, was seen lying down in the bushes by other homeless people who knew him. They assumed he was sleeping, Harwood said.

That was around 2 p.m., Harwood said, and after the others went into the Rescue Mission for services and came out, they checked on him and discovered he was dead.

“He was in poor health,” Harwood added, but wouldn’t elaborate.

“His preference was to camp outside, so that’s why he had been seen around 6 o’clock the previous evening out there as well. He apparently had spent the night out there.” 

A police forensics unit was called to the scene, along with personnel from the Santa Barbara County Coroner’s Bureau.

The death doesn’t appear suspicious, and the investigation into cause of death will be handled by the Coroner’s Bureau, Harwood said.

— Noozhawk staff writer Giana Magnoli can be reached at gmagnoli@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.