New Brighton Man's Death Ruled Homicide

The death of a 70-year-old New Brighton, Minnesota man found at the bottom of the stairs at his home in January has been ruled a homicide.

A family member found Lee Goodwin dead in his home on the 800 block of 2nd St. NW around 5:18 p.m. on Jan. 29. Police originally thought the he died of natural causes, but later found items missing from the home and considered the death suspicious.

Wednesday, New Brighton police and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension announced Goodwin's death was a homicide. The Ramsey County medical examiner found Goodwin died suddenly of an assault and ruled the manner of death a homicide.

Police have recovered a wallet belonging to Lee Goodwin, found by a passerby in a dumpster on the 1400 block o Silver Lake Road. Goodwin's driver's license and other ID was found in the wallet, but cash and credit cards were missing.

Goodwin was a former firefighter and longtime resident of New Brighton.

Police are continuing to investigate the death and are trying to locate other missing property. Anyone with information is asked to call New Brighton police at 651-288-4100, leave a voicemail on the crime hotline at 651-288-4173 or leave an email tip on the city's website at www.newbrightonmn.gov/publicsafety