SARATOGA SPRINGS >> The Saratoga Springs Police Department reported Saturday that they found a missing 80-year-old man, a retired Skidmore College president, dead this morning after he went missing Friday evening.
Officials said they received a call from a resident of Birch Run Lane, which is near the Birch Run development off of Seward Avenue, saying her elderly husband was missing from their home. The missing man has been identified as David H. Porter of Saratoga Springs.
After officers arrived at the Birch Run residence to speak to the caller, officials said the wife last saw Porter around 8:30 p.m. on Friday night, which was when the wife went to bed.
An initial search of the home and the surrounding properties within the subdivision was conducted and did not result in the discovery of Porter, but police had been made aware that it was not uncommon for Porter to go out on walks while his wife was asleep.
From there officials decided to expand their search and bring in additional resources. This included the New York State Forest Rangers, the New York State Police aviation unit, and the Saratoga Springs Fire Department.
At about 10:30 a.m. Saturday, one of the searches found the deceased body of Porter in a field west of the Birch Run development, which is situated between Birch Run and the Saratoga Golf and Polo Club.
The field where Porter’s body was located is a common path that he would regularly use when taking his walks.
The investigation shows no signs of foul play, but it did lead police to believe that it was an unfortunate accident.
During the search police said that they used the reverse 9-1-1 system to send out an automated message to residents within a two-mile radius of Birch Run Lane. According to police, this was done to get the public’s assistance early on.
An autopsy has been scheduled for a later date to further assist in determining the cause of Porter’s death.
