Authorities in Newport, Rhode Island, are continuing a homicide investigation following the discovery of an elderly man found dead inside a room at the Harbor Base Inn, a property formerly known as the Pineapple Inn. The victim has been identified by the Rhode Island State Medical Examiner’s Office as 85-year-old Terry Costello. Officials confirmed that his death has been ruled a homicide, prompting a full-scale investigation led by local police and state authorities.

The case began unfolding on the morning of May 18, 2026, when Newport police were initially called in response to a separate report involving a 66-year-old man who had allegedly jumped from the Mount Hope Bridge. During the course of that initial response, officers conducted follow-up inquiries that ultimately led them to the Harbor Base Inn on Connell Highway. At approximately 10:10 a.m., investigators arrived at the property to continue their work connected to the earlier incident.

While examining the premises, officers discovered a deceased male inside Room 132. Authorities later confirmed the individual was Terry Costello, an 85-year-old man whose presence at the location and connection to the broader sequence of events remains under investigation. The medical examiner’s findings, which indicated injuries consistent with homicide, shifted the case from a routine death investigation to an active criminal inquiry.

Law enforcement officials have not released information regarding a possible suspect or motive. Investigators are currently working to reconstruct the timeline leading up to Costello’s death, including reviewing surveillance footage, interviewing witnesses, and examining any physical evidence recovered from the hotel room and surrounding areas. Authorities have emphasized that the investigation is still in its early stages and that many details remain unclear.

The dual nature of the incidents reported on the same day has added complexity to the case, though officials have not publicly confirmed how, or if, the two events are directly connected. Detectives are treating each lead carefully as they attempt to determine whether the situations are related or coincidental.

The discovery has left the Newport community unsettled, particularly given the victim’s age and the circumstances surrounding his death inside a lodging facility. Residents and those familiar with the area have expressed concern as police activity continues around the property.

Authorities are urging anyone with information that may assist in the investigation to come forward. As the case develops, officials are expected to release additional updates once more facts are confirmed and next of kin have been fully notified.