Dead Man Near Reston Path IDed by Police

Fairfax County Police have identified the man found dead near the Reston path on Monday as Christoph Walker, 51, of Sacramento, Calif.

Walker is the son of Reston’s first Open Space and Nature Center Director, Vernon J. Walker, for whom the Walker Nature Education Center is named.

Christoph Walker was visiting family in the 11200 block of Harbor Court in Reston when he went out for a run Monday morning. His family became concerned when he did not return, and then saw the story on Reston Patch about the unidentifed man late Monday afternoon, county police spokeswoman Lucy Caldwell said.

Walker was found by a passerby lying on mulch next to a swing set off of French Horn Lane near the bike path and across the street from the Walker Nature Center about 11:20 a.m. Monday, Fairfax County Police said.

He appeared to die of natural causes, Caldwell said, but an autopsy will be performed.

The Walker family - including Christoph and two other sons - were Reston pioneers as they moved to Reston in 1967. Vernon Walker died in 1982, and his wife, Elfriede, a real estate agent, died in 2004. 

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