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The death of a man whose body was found Jan. 14 in downtown Upper Marlboro has been ruled a homicide, said Upper Marlboro Police Department Chief Michael T. Gonnella on Tuesday.

Police had no suspects or motive in the death of Ameil S. Haynes, 43, whose last known address was in Upper Marlboro but had no fixed address at the time of his death, Gonnella said. The case is the first homicide investigation within the town limits of less than 1 square mile in at least 15 years.

Gonnella said at approximately 11:40 p.m. Jan. 14, town officers and Prince George's County police responded to a report of a man down on the 5400 block of Water Street, across the street from the Prince George's County District Courthouse.

Police found Haynes lying on the curb in front of a private office building at 5407 Water St. He had suffered trauma to the upper body and was pronounced dead on the scene by county paramedics. Gonnella declined to provide any additional details on Haynes' cause of death, citing the ongoing investigation.

The man's body was transported to the medical examiner's office for an autopsy and fingerprinting to possibly provide an identity and cause of death, said Mike Rodriguez, a spokesman for the Prince George's County Police Department.

Stephen Sonnett, president of the Upper Marlboro Board of Town Commissioners, called the incident "a shocker."

"We are really crime-free here, especially in the residential areas," he said, adding crime is low despite the fact that every person in the county who is charged with a felony offense comes through the town to get to the courthouse.

The town, which has a population of approximately 665 residents, holds the County Administration Building, school system headquarters and county court systems.

The Prince George's County Police Department's Homicide Unit and the Upper Marlboro Police Department are working together to investigate the death.

Anyone with information is asked to call Gonnella's office, because the crime occurred within town limits, at 301-627-6905, ext. 4.

The Prince George's County Police Department's Homicide Unit can be reached at 301-772-4925.

Callers wishing to remain anonymous may call Crime Solvers at 1-866-411-8477 or text "PGPD (plus the message)" to CRIMES (274637) or visit www.pgpolice.org to submit a tip online.

E-mail Zoe Tillman at ztillman@gazette.net.