Last week on March 4th, a Ballard transient believed to be Charles Tompkins passed away beside the Ballard Locks.

Tompkins, 49, was found in the morning of March 5th by a friend. He had been lying in the same position for over 24 hours and police conclude he died from pneumonia.

The police said he appeared to have had problems with alcoholism and was found with an empty wine bottle beside him. Detectives ruled out homicide and no physical abuse was apparent on the body.

He died a few feet away from the parking lot to Ballard Locks on 32th block of 54th Street.

Tompkins was a regular at the Ballard Food Bank but kept to himself, a community member said. He had been a brilliant man with a graduate degree before his mental health deteriorated and he stopped talking to people.

The Women in Black will hold a silent witnessing vigil on Wednesday, March 16, from noon until 1 p.m. outside the Seattle Justice Center at 5th and Cherry Street. These vigils are held whenever a homeless person dies outside in King County.  Tompkins is the fourth person this year. In 2010, at least 36 homeless people died in the cold or due to violence, 11 of which were women.