(Photo by JEFFREY HASTINGS) A state police K9 team searches the area along West Shore Road in Windham during the investigation into the death of an adult man, who police say was the victim of a homicide. His identity has not yet been released.

WINDHAM — State police Major Crimes Unit detectives worked late into Thursday evening and returned Friday to the area of West Shore and Woodvue roads, where members of a construction crew found a deceased man who police say was the victim of a homicide.

“The circumstances surrounding this individual’s death are being actively investigated,” state and local police said in a statement. “Additional information will be released as it becomes available while protecting the integrity of that investigation.”

Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Jennie Duval, who conducted an autopsy on the body, determined the cause of death to be gunshot wounds to the head, and ruled that the manner of death is homicide.

Officials said they are withholding the man’s identity “pending further notifications.”

A state police detective and the commander of the state police K-9 unit searched along the side of Gateway Boulevard, which runs between a state Park and Ride lot and Range Road.

(Photo by JEFFREY HASTINGS) Windham and state police detectives work at the scene of what has been determined to be a homicide off West Shore Road. Police haven't released the name of the victim, whom they described only as an adult man.

After an extended period of time, the K-9 team stopped the search and returned to the scene where other investigators were working.

Several reports indicated that the deceased man was found by a construction crew and that it was located inside a “porta-potty” on the side of the road.

Firefighters, police and EMS personnel responded to the call around 7 a.m. Thursday, but based on the amount of time the victim’s body had been there, they did not administer any lifesaving measures.

At about 11 a.m., a hearse from a local funeral home arrived at the scene and removed the body. The hearse was followed from the scene by a police officer.

–JEFFREY HASTINGS