State Police said they are stepping up patrols in the marsh, which is in East Boston. During normal operating hours, state troopers walk through the reservation several times a day, as they do at all areas managed by the state’s Department of Conservation and Recreation, said State Police spokesman Dave Procopio.

The incidents, which occurred on May 29 and June 1, killed Daniel Pepe of East Boston and injured a 67-year-old man from Lynn. Both had injuries indicative of being attacked and beaten, officials said.

State Police are trying to determine whether there is a connection between two serious incidents in the Belle Isle Marsh Reservation last week, one that left an 83-year-old man dead.


They plan to increase these walk-throughs during the course of the investigation, Procopio said.

Pepe was found so severely injured that he could not provide investigators with a description of what had happened to him. He was taken to Massachusetts General Hospital and died several days later.

Procopio said Pepe’s death has not officially been ruled a homicide. He had suffered the injuries on May 29.

“There are facts that suggest the two incidents may be related and that the first incident may have been an assault,” he said. Both incidents occurred in the same general area of the reservation.

Jake Wark, a spokesman for Suffolk District Attorney Daniel Conley’s office, said investigators had not released information to the public about Pepe’s injuries prior to Tuesday because they knew very little about the incident.

“The cause of his injuries was, and remains, unclear,” he said.

However, the statements from the second victim, whose injuries were not considered life-threatening, have encouraged investigators to look into possible similarities between the incidents.

That man, who was not identified, described being attacked by a white male in his late 20s or 30s, who was about 5-feet-9. He was wearing a hat, T-shirt, and shorts that were all beige or brown in color, State Police said.


Both incidents occurred at approximately the same time, Procopio said. Police responded to the first assault at about 2:44 p.m. and the second at about 3 p.m., three days later.

Procopio would not say whether the men were alone during the attacks, but he said no other victims have come forward or reported encounters with the assailant.

State Police have not found any evidence that the incidents are gang-related or involve the profiling of older men, but Procopio said “nothing is ruled out.”

State Police are working with Conley’s office to investigate the case.

Procopio said visitors to the reservation should avoid being alone, stay alert of their surroundings, and keep their cellphone charged in case of emergency.

“That’s the main reason for releasing [this] information,” he said. “Basic common-sense safety steps should be taken if you are in that area or if you’re walking alone.”

Felicia Gans can be reached at felicia.gans@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter @FeliciaGans.