A man found dead in an abandoned New York subway room following a fire was the co-author of a graphic novel on his life in the tunnels.

Anthony Horton, 43, who lived for years in the underground labyrinth and chronicled his life with sketches made with charcoal and discarded fax machine ink, published "Pitch Black" in 2008 with co-author Youme Landowne. Landowne told The New York Times the two met when he approached her on a downtown train and asked if she was an artist.

She said he showed her his drawings and tunnel homes, one of which was outfitted with a futon, bookshelves and artwork. Landowne said Horton hid his art and a few possessions throughout the subway.

"He was a gentle soul, and I admired him," Landowne told the Times. "I wanted him to live a long time."

Horton's body was discovered by firefighters who put out a blaze in an abandoned crew room along the F line, just north of 63rd Street and Lexington Avenue.

Horton was born in New York and raised in group and foster homes after his parents abandoned him, according to the Times. He had a long police record that included 17 arrests prior to 2008.

In the book, Horton wrote that he found life in the tunnels and on the streets safer than living in shelters. He cited several rules in the book, including: "always carry a light," and "anything you need can be found in the garbage."

The fire department said the cause of Monday's fire hasn't been determined.

Click here to read more on this report from The New York Times.