Romero had been missing since last Monday. After searching several days, the friend found his body in thick brush about 15 feet from his tent.

Photo provided Raegin Romero's 1979 senior class photo from the Homer High School Mariner yearbook. "Anyone who helps those helps himself," was his class quote.

Police said while Romero had good winter gear in his tent, he was lightly dressed when found, said Homer Police Sgt. Lary Kuhns. Kuhns said it looked like Romero had left his tent to use the bathroom. There were no signs of a struggle or assault, and police do not suspect foul play. Kuhns said it appeared Romero had died several days earlier before being found about 3:45 p.m. Nov. 27.

Next of kin were notified of Romero's death, Kuhns said. Romero's body was sent to the Alaska Medical Examiner with an autopsy to be held this week.

Friends of Romero at Refuge Chapel knew Romero camped in the woods and had been checking on him over the fall and winter, said Pastor Darren Williams of Refuge Chapel, the Pioneer Avenue church that houses Refuge Room. They had not seen him in his tent and it was not until a friend searched in thick brush that Romero was found.

"We were definitely concerned," Williams said. "It's not easy living outside, and it had been cold."

Kuhns said Romero is one of several homeless men known by police to be living outdoors in Homer.

Several paths lead to Romero's camp on a forested knoll about 500 yards east of the Alaska Islands and Ocean Visitor Center parking lot and 100 yards south of the Sterling Highway across from Safeway. The camp is within view of Beluga Slough and the Homer Animal Shelter and Public Works parking lot. On Monday, Romero's camp and gear had been gathered together by friends and stacked in a neat pile of about a dozen garbage bags.

Romero had previously lived at the Refuge Room, a low-cost housing facility run by Refuge Chapel for men. The Refuge Room has a strict no drugs and alcohol policy. Romero had been sober for about a year, but left after he began drinking again, Williams said.

"He was one of the most gentle people I know," Williams said. "He was a huge help. He had a huge heart."

Romero grew up in Homer and graduated in 1979 from Homer High School. The quote next to his senior yearbook photo reads, "Anyone who helps those helps himself." Williams said Romero most recently worked as a meat cutter for McNeil Canyon Meat Company. He has family living in the Lower 48 and an aunt and uncle in the Homer area, Williams said.

Refuge Room works with men to help them get jobs and more permanent housing, Williams said. It is not a homeless shelter, he said.

"We're really trying to help men, not just give them a place to stay. If a guy wants help, there is help here, but they have to be serious about it," Williams said. "If a guy can halfway make an effort, there are so many services here," he added.

Williams described Romero as struggling hard with alcohol. He had been doing well until he started drinking again. Refuge Room had let Romero know he could move back in if he tried to get sober and attended daily Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, Williams said.

"Everybody was close to Raegin," Williams said. "We wanted to help him."

Williams knows of at least two other homeless men camping out this winter in Homer. Some homeless people prefer to live that way, he said.

"Most of the guys who are out there, they're out there because they have not chosen to deal with their addictions. They don't want help," Williams said. "You can't do anything for a person who doesn't want to help themselves."

Kuhns said the wooded area along the Beluga Slough on private and public land has long been an area where homeless camp, particularly in the summer.

"People are a lot more capable of doing it in the summertime," he said. Winter is harder, particularly if someone has alcohol or drug problems, Kuhn said. "It's compounded when you have these huge gorillas on your back."

Other places homeless people camp include the woods across the Sterling Highway from the Jehovah's Witnesses Kingdom Hall, an area near Danview Avenue and in Karen Hornaday Park. Camping on city property during the winter is prohibited except on the Homer Spit near the Seafarer's Memorial. Police sometimes check out known camps.

"Wherever we see them, if they're intoxicated and can't take care of themselves, we do our job," Kuhns said.

Some homeless people have been taken into protective custody when found extremely intoxicated. Police have put in the Homer Jail for protective custody 28 people this year, 23 of them for drunkenness. Not all of them were homeless.

Kuhns said police try to help out homeless people when they can, as do other agencies or private volunteers.

"There's a lot of private people who do a lot of behind the scenes work, who try to help homeless people," Kuhns said. "I don't think they're totally forgotten."

Williams said Refuge Chapel and Refuge Room have staff on call 24-hours a day to help people in crisis. For help, call 226-3250.

Agencies which help the poor and homeless also include the Salvation Army and the Homer Community Food Pantry.

"Those are agencies that give immediate relief," Williams said. "Drop a few extra coins in the Salvation Army kettle."

Friends of Romero had an informal gathering and said prayers for Romero over the weekend, Williams said. Other services have not yet been planned.

"It was sad to see somebody taken before their time. He had a lot of life in him," Williams said. "He had people who loved him."

Michael Armstrong can be reached at michael.armstrong@homernews.com.