Aurora homeless man drowns in retention pond

A 36-year-old homeless Aurora man was found dead in a retention pond Friday afternoon — the victim of an apparent drowning, police said.

The man was identified Saturday as Joseph A. Pec, a resident of the Hesed House homeless shelter in Aurora.

A jogger running past the pond near Kirk Road and Mesa Lane on the city’s far northeast side saw Pec’s body lying in the water and called police, who were dispatched at 2:47 p.m., authorities said.

Fire department personnel removed Pec’s body from the pond and attempted lifesaving efforts. He was transported to Presence Mercy Medical Center in Aurora and later pronounced dead, authorities said.

Police said Pec had been with a 30-year-old female acquaintance from Aurora before he was found in the pond. When authorities arrived, she was trying to remove the man from the pond. But there doesn’t appear to be any foul play related to the drowning, officials said.

Alcohol may have been a factor, they added.