Update: Man found dead in cold was turned away from shelters in past because he was sex offender

GRAND RAPIDS -- To those who knew him, Thomas Pauli was an educated man, a quiet, gentle person who loved to read.

So it's unclear why the 52-year-old man, who recently completed a rehab program, died on the streets in the cold.

His body was discovered Monday in the snow inside a fenced auto salvage business, huddled near the wheel of a car in the 600 block of South Division Avenue.

Pauli was among eight Michigan men and women -- four of them senior citizens -- found dead in the cold since Jan. 17.

Most of the deaths occurred near the victims' homes, where it appears four of them fell on their property. Two victims were homeless. One teen died on the Saginaw River and a 93-year-old Bay City man with a $1,100 unpaid utility bill froze to death in his home after the utility restricted his electricity use.

"As I read them, some (deaths) were freakish sort of things and difficult to prevent for someone who is alone," said Robert Barnes, executive director of Senior Neighbors Inc., 820 Monroe Avenue NW.

DEADLY TOLL

Seven Michigan residents have been found dead outside during the recent cold snap, and a Bay City man died inside his unheated home:

Jan. 17: Helen Funderburg, 86, found in her Norton Shores backyard

Jan. 17: Marvin Schur, 93, found frozen to death inside his Bay City home

Jan. 18: The body of a homeless man, 58, found near Inkster

Jan. 18: Karoline Benedict, 85, found dead in the driveway of her Saranac home

Jan. 25: Michael Gibbs, 16, found frozen on Saginaw River in Bay County

Jan. 25:Francis Buford, 81, suffering from Alzheimer's found in Oakland County. He walked away from son's home

Sunday: Cynthia Hillis, 37, found outside her friend's home in Allegan County.

Monday: Thomas Pauli, 52, found in 600 block of South Division Avenue lying near a car at a business

Senior Neighbors has a program for isolated or frail area seniors ages 60 and older called "Daily Connections." Volunteers call seniors daily at a specific time. Emergency procedures go into effect if the senior does not respond, Barnes said. There are 40 seniors in the program and room for more participants and volunteers, he said.

It also has a team of social workers ready to assess needs of low-income seniors, he said.

"The reality is it's a tremendous challenge. There are many isolated seniors who don't network much or have contacts and there is a risk for them," Barnes said.

Last year, Kent County had two deaths attributed to the cold weather and, in 2007, three deaths were attributed to the cold, according to Kent County health records.

Pauli had created a small network. He used Degage Ministries Life Enrichment Center as his address, said center supervisor Lori King, who saw him regularly until about three weeks ago.

"He was very quiet and intelligent, soft-spoken, and he had great manners, and that is a rarity. He struggled off and on with addiction and he (recently) showed me a certificate as he went through rehab," she said.

Pauli once told her he wanted to go back to school for a degree in journalism and writing. He had a girlfriend and was trying to get a place to live.

"He was tired of being downtown and tired of the shuffle. He was middle-aged, and running around all day outside was wearing on him," she said.

The center, at 144 S. Division Ave., expanded its dining-room hours from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. so the homeless don't have to be outside so long. Degage provides showers, mail service and a referral desk to help with substance abuse issues.

"Tom was a very nice man. He had beautiful eyes and, when he smiled, his whole face lit up. He wasn't violent or mean, but he struggled with demons, like we all do," King said.

Pauli's autopsy showed no specific cause of death and no foul play is suspected, so Grand Rapids Police are awaiting toxicology reports for more answers.

Allegan County authorities also completed the initial autopsy of 37-year-old Cynthia Hillis, whose body was found Sunday outside the home where she was staying, and found no cause for suspicion in her death.

They were awaiting toxicology reports and do not know why she left the house without proper attire. She was found wearing tennis shoes, a T-shirt and sweat pants.

The homeowner said it was odd that a fan was knocked over and a door was ajar, but police noted that several cats live in the house, Allegan County Sheriff's Lt. Scott Matice said.