🚨 41-Year-Old Found Dead In Busy Exeter Stairwell,...

🚨 41-Year-Old Found Dead In Busy Exeter Stairwell, Yet The Cause Remains Unexplained—Now Police Are Desperate To Find This Mysterious Man

Police Release CCTV in Search for Witness After Man Found Dead in Exeter High Street Stairwell

Detectives investigating the unexplained death of a 41-year-old man found in a public stairwell on a busy Exeter street have released new CCTV images of a man they believe may hold key information.

The victim was discovered on Saturday 10 January 2026 in a stairwell between Taco Bell and Efes Grill on Sidwell Street. Emergency services were called at around 3pm after concerns were raised for his welfare. Despite efforts by members of the public and paramedics, he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Investigation Still Open Months Later

Devon and Cornwall Police initially treated the death as non-suspicious. However, the cause of death has remained unexplained, keeping the investigation active. A man in his 30s from the Exeter area was arrested in connection with the death and later released on police bail. He remains on bail.

In August 2026, more than seven months after the discovery, officers issued a fresh public appeal and released CCTV footage of another man. Police say they believe this individual may have been a witness and could provide crucial details about the events surrounding the death.

Official Appeal

A force statement confirmed: “Emergency services were called to Sidwell Street at around 3pm on Saturday 10 January. Concern had been raised for the welfare of a 41-year-old man who was found in a public stairwell between Efes Grill and Taco Bell. He died at the scene despite the best efforts of members of the public and paramedics.

“Investigating officers would like to identify the man pictured as they believe he may have information as a witness. As part of the investigation, a man aged in his 30s from the Exeter area was arrested in connection with the death and remains on police bail.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 101 or through the force website, quoting reference 50260007677.

A Public Location on a Busy Street

Sidwell Street is a central and well-trafficked part of Exeter, lined with shops and food outlets. The stairwell sits between two popular businesses and is accessible to passers-by. The fact that members of the public attempted to help before paramedics arrived highlights how exposed the location is.

Earlier appeals by Detective Inspector Michelle Westlake sought witnesses who were in the area between approximately 1.15pm and 3.15pm on the day of the death. Officers continue to request any relevant CCTV, dashcam or mobile phone footage from the surrounding streets.

Lingering Questions

The prolonged inability to establish a definitive cause of death has sustained the inquiry. While one man has been arrested and bailed, police have not publicly detailed the basis for that arrest. The decision to release additional CCTV months later indicates that investigators still require further witness evidence to clarify what happened in the stairwell.

The deceased man’s next of kin were informed shortly after he was found. For the family, the extended uncertainty surrounding the circumstances of his death has added to their distress.

Continued Police Efforts

Unexplained deaths in public spaces often require painstaking work to reconstruct a person’s final hours. In this case, the combination of an open stairwell, a busy urban environment, and the absence of an immediate clear cause has extended the timeline of the investigation.

Police continue to urge anyone who was in the Sidwell Street area on the afternoon of 10 January, or who recognises the man shown in the newly released CCTV, to come forward. Even minor details about the man’s movements, appearance or interactions could prove significant.

As the investigation remains open, the focus stays on identifying the potential witness and determining exactly how the 41-year-old came to die in a public stairwell in the heart of Exeter.