Police investigate Bangor man’s ‘unattended’ death

BANGOR – The Bangor Police Department is investigating whether foul play was a factor in the death of 49-year-old Rockwell “Rocky” Murchison, who died at a local hospital Sunday morning, Lt. Timothy Reid said Tuesday.

“The death has not been classified as anything at this point, except for a death,” Reid said. “We are investigating why that [Murchison’s death] happened and how that occurred.”

The death now is being treated as an unattended death, Reid said. The state Medical Examiner’s Office was still investigating the official cause of death Tuesday afternoon.

Murchison apparently got into a fight at the Elks Club on the Odlin Road Saturday night, according to his brother Henry Murchison, who shared a Hammond Street apartment with the deceased.

“He was over there and got into a little bit of a scuffle and he hit his head,” he said. “The Elks Club called the ambulance and they took him to Eastern Maine [Medical Center].”

Henry Murchison said his brother, who was a truck mechanic at Hughes Brothers Inc. in Hampden for more than 10 years, went to the Elks Club alone and was home and in bed when he arose Sunday morning.

“I didn’t see [a laceration] but I guess there was one on the back of his head,” his brother said. “I didn’t see any blood and there was no blood to be seen here [at the apartment]. The cops told me you don’t necessarily bleed when you crack your head.”

Henry Murchison said he called 911 around noon Sunday after finding his brother unresponsive. Rockwell Murchison was pronounced dead at St. Joseph Hospital later that day. The Murchison brothers are originally from Lincoln but moved to Bangor several years ago.