Deputies find body of transient man in Ben Lomond

Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s deputies, acting on a missing persons report, found the body of a transient man near his Ben Lomond campsite May 3.
Peter Kouza, 57, had been reported as missing earlier that day by the staff at Valley Churches United Missions in Ben Lomond. Staff members became worried after Kouza, who they said had frequented the nonprofit help center, failed to return after early April.
Kouza’s body was found buried under branches near some unauthorized campsites close to the 9000 block of Old County Road.
The coroner’s office said there was no evidence of foul play. An autopsy determined that the cause of death was cirrhosis of the liver and chronic alcoholism.
Other campers in the area, who had lived with Kouza for over a year, told deputies they found Kouza dead in front of his tent near April 1. They proceeded to cover him with a blanket and branches. Then after some time, they moved the body 25 feet away and covered it with branches.
The campers said they did not report the dead man to the authorities because they feared losing their campsite, according to a statement from the sheriff’s department.
“We worked it hard,” Sgt. Fred Plageman said of the investigation to determine if foul play was involved. “As it turns out, you do all the work and everyone’s telling us the truth.”
The sheriff’s office requested misdemeanor warrants for two fellow campers for failing to report the death and for moving the body without notifying the coroner. The district attorney’s office will decide whether the case warrants prosecution.