(GRANTSVILLE, MD) – The body of a man found deceased in a wooded area in Garrett County Friday morning has been identified as the man reported missing from West Virginia who was the subject of multiple searches this week.
The man is identified as Hassan Aino, 22, of Morgantown, West Virginia. He was pronounced deceased at the scene. His body will be transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Baltimore for an autopsy to confirm the cause and manner of death.
Shortly before 8:30 A.M. Friday, Maryland State Police at the McHenry Barrack received a call from a man who was hunting in a wooded area of Lower New Germany Road near I-68. The hunter reported he had found a body lying in the woods about one-half a mile from the nearest road.
State Police patrol troopers and Maryland Natural Resources Police officers responded and secured the scene. State Police Criminal Enforcement Division investigators and crime scene technicians responded to process the scene and collect evidence. A forensic investigator from the Office of the State Medical Examiner was contacted and came to the scene to assist with the death investigation.
The body was located in a heavily wooded area near a swamp. It was estimated to be about one-half mile from where Aino’s car had been found on October 22nd, near the intersection of Lower New Germany Road and Avilton Lonaconing Road. The body was outside of an area of more than 130 acres that had been searched by dozens of police and civilian search teams that had been looking for Aino earlier this week.
Investigators observed Aino had sustained what appeared to be a gunshot wound to his head.
They found a .40 caliber pistol beside the body, as well as a half-empty whisky bottle and a baggie of suspected marijuana. Investigators have confirmed the handgun they found was legally purchased by Aino about one month ago in West Virginia.
The handgun and other items at the scene will be forwarded to the Maryland State Police Forensic Sciences Division laboratory for analysis. The investigation is continuing.
