The unexplained death of a 61-year-old man found in a wheelchair outside a Port Arthur convenience store during a deep freeze has residents demanding answers and accountability. The man, identified by officials as James Ellis Rouly, was discovered on Tuesday wearing only a hospital gown and no shoes, with a hospital blanket over him and a frozen drink beside his chair. Neighbors and advocates say reports that he had been released from a hospital the day before have stirred anger and renewed scrutiny.
Jefferson County Justice of the Peace Joseph Guillory II confirmed Rouly's identity, according to News 4 San Antonio. An autopsy, the outlet reports, "failed to determine the cause of death," and investigators are awaiting toxicology results for more clarity. Port Arthur Police Chief Tim Duriso told the station that detectives are reviewing surveillance footage to identify which hospital released Rouly and to piece together a timeline of his final hours.
A passerby, Daniel December, told PEOPLE that he found Rouly slumped over near a dumpster outside a convenience store at Turtle Creek Drive and 9th Avenue and that the man's drink had frozen. December described seeing a hospital wristband and a blanket but no shoes, and said Rouly appeared to be unresponsive when he checked him. Those details have helped shape the investigation into how long Rouly may have been exposed to subfreezing temperatures.
Local coverage also notes that foul play is not suspected at this time while officials work to reconstruct Rouly's movements, according to The Beaumont Enterprise. Justice of the Peace Joseph L. Guillory II, who ordered the autopsy, said a relative had been notified and told reporters he expects toxicology results could take months. For now, authorities say the case is being treated as an unexplained death pending those findings.
Police Sift Through Video And Hospital Records
Chief Duriso said officers expect nearby camera footage to show when Rouly arrived and who, if anyone, left him there, and that pinpointing which hospital released him is a central line of inquiry, News 4 San Antonio reports. Investigators are pulling video and hospital records to build a detailed timeline that could clarify whether Winter Storm Fern or an underlying medical condition was the primary factor in his death. Officials say they have located and notified at least one relative.
Advocates say the case lays bare painful gaps in care for people experiencing homelessness during extreme weather. Patricia Henderson, director of Port Cities Rescue Mission, told PEOPLE that shelters were open during Winter Storm Fern and that the organization had more than 30 beds available. "That is what's wrong with the world right now. People don't have compassion for another human being," she said.
Hoodline previously published an initial report on the discovery; see our earlier coverage, Investigation Launched Into Death, for background on the case. New autopsy information and the ongoing review of surveillance footage are the latest developments drawing fresh local attention.
Port Arthur police say they will update the public as toxicology results become available. Anyone with information about activity near the convenience store on the Tuesday in question is asked to contact the Port Arthur Police Department.
