Spokane man died from hypothermia

The man found dead Tuesday on a sidewalk in North Spokane died from hypothermia and his death has been officially listed as accidental. Spokane Police detectives had called the death of 57-year-old Benjamin Payne a “suspcious death” after he was found Tuesday on a sidewalk in the 500 block of East Hoffman Avenue. Lt. Joe Walker said officers responded in the mid-morning after Payne was discovered near a snow bank. “It looked like he had been there for several hours,” Walker said. “There were signs of trauma. But, we are trying to determine if the injuries were accidental, something medical or caused by assault.” The Spokane County Medical Examiner’s Office responded to the scene and an autopsy today revealed that Payne died from hypothermia. No further details were available.