RCMP ID man found dead in lake

RCMP haveidentified Neil Joseph Blades astheman found dead in a lake in Nova Scotia's Yarmouth County last weekend.

The body of Blades, 34, from the Yarmouth area, wasdiscovered Sunday evening in Eel Lake.

RCMPsaid Tuesdaytheautopsy results show that Blades died of unnatural causes, but investigators aren't saying how he was killed, when or where.

Investigators are treating Blades's death as a homicide.

"We want to ensure that the public is fully aware that this is not a random act. It's specific. And the investigators are confident that that is the case," said Const.Les Kakonyi.

RCMP said Blades was identified throughhis fingerprints. There is no word onwhen he ended up in the water,though an officer has said that it wasn't long before he was found.

Blades has convictions for theft, aggravated assault and other crimes going back to 1993. In June 1995, he was sentenced to five years in prison for his part inanassault androbbery of a Dartmouth salesman in Bunker Island, near Yarmouth.

There is no record ofBladesbeing in the courtsafter 2006.

A woman made the gruesome discoveryaround 7 p.m. Sundaywhile out for a walk. She called out for help, and a couple walking nearby ran over.

Josh Nickersonsaid he saw a shirtless man floating face down in the water.

"He was put in such a way he was in the water just at the edge of the bridge. You'd have to be at the bridge and look straight down to see," he told CBC News on Monday.

Blades's mother reported him missing on Monday. By this time, the body had been removed from the water and was onthe way to Halifax for an autopsy.

RCMP said there are no suspects. Investigators urgeanyone with information to contact them.