Coroner identifies Boise man found on Greenbelt. Police still have no suspect
The killing of a 25-year-old whose body was found on the Boise Greenbelt has left the man’s “close-knit” family heartbroken and “searching for answers,” a friend of the family wrote in an online fundraiser.
The Boise Police Department, meanwhile, still has not identified a suspect and is asking for the public’s help as it continues its investigation.
Jordan Harbst, of Boise, was found dead on the north side of the popular path near 11th Street, according to the Ada County Coroner’s Office, which sent out a news release Wednesday. His manner of death was listed as homicide by the coroner, which was what police labeled it Monday.
However, no cause of death has been revealed by officials. The coroner’s report listed cause of death as “pending” and said further information could come “pending investigation.”
Police said in a news release shortly after the coroner’s report Wednesday that they have been interviewing people and “canvassing for surveillance video.” The release also said that “detectives are not releasing the manner of death at this time” to protect the investigation.
“Our detectives have been working tirelessly since this investigation began, following every lead and speaking with members of our community,” said Boise Police Sgt. Justin Kendall. “Now we’re asking for the public’s help. Someone may have seen or experienced something that didn’t seem important at the time but could be the piece of information that helps move this investigation forward.”
Kendall also said in the release that “we those using the Greenbelt to take extra safety precautions and report anything that seems out of the ordinary.”
Boise police investigators want anyone who was on the Greenbelt between Sunday evening and Monday morning to contact them if they witnessed anything unusual, such as “a person involved in or appearing to have recently been involved in a violent encounter” or anyone “exhibiting suspicious behavior or involved in an activity that caused concern, even if it did not seem significant at the time.”
Residents are asked to call Ada County Dispatch at 208-377-6790 with information.
Harbst’s death has left his parents and younger sister “devastated,” according to a GoFundMe that hopes to raise $14,000. In the wake of this “senseless act of violence,” his parents are struggling to cover the unexpected funeral expenses and support their daughter, the post said.
“The emotional toll is immense, and they need time and space to grieve without the added stress of financial worries or rushing back to work,” according to the post.
Officers from the Boise Police Department found Harbst’s body at around 7:30 a.m. Monday, after receiving reports of an “unresponsive man” on the Greenbelt, according to a news release. The homicide occurred sometime early Monday morning, the release said.
