MANHASSET, NY — Human skeletal remains found Thursday evening in a wooded part of Plandome Pond Park are believed to be those of a person who disappeared nearly a year ago, Nassau County police said.
The remains were spotted near the train tracks by members of the Manhasset track team, who were running through the area when they noticed what appeared to be human bones. After they went back and reported what they had seen, police received a 911 call and responded to the scene.
Nassau Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder said officers confirmed the discovery was human remains. The finding triggered a large police response and closed off the park for several hours while investigators worked the area.
Track team members made the discovery during a run through Plandome Pond Park
Police said the remains were found in a wooded section of the park, which sits near the Long Island Rail Road tracks in Manhasset. The area is usually quiet, making the discovery especially startling for people nearby.
According to Ryder, the students were the first to notice something unusual while moving through the park. Their decision to return and alert authorities set off the investigation that followed.
The park closure lasted for hours as police searched the surrounding area and secured the scene. Officials have not said exactly where in the woods the remains were located beyond describing it as a wooded section near the tracks.
Investigators think the remains may belong to a person missing for about a year
Ryder said investigators believe the remains could be tied to someone who went missing about a year ago. Police have not released the person’s name, age, or any other identifying information.
Authorities are now working to identify the remains and determine how the person died. For now, police have not said what led them to connect the discovery to the missing person case.
Investigators also have not said how the remains ended up in the park. That part of the case remains unanswered as the identification process continues.
Police do not currently suspect foul play
At this point, investigators do not believe foul play was involved. That assessment is based on the early stages of the case, and police have not provided additional details about what they have found so far.
The remains are still being examined as officials try to determine both identity and cause of death. Those findings could help clarify whether the death happened in the park or elsewhere before the remains were brought there.
Police have kept the investigation active, but they have not announced any arrests, suspects, or criminal charges. For now, the case remains a death investigation centered on identification.
Neighbors in the usually quiet community hope the discovery brings answers
The discovery unsettled residents in Plandome Heights and nearby Manhasset, where the park is normally seen as a peaceful neighborhood space. Even so, some people said they hoped the finding would at least bring closure to a family that has been waiting for news.
Marion Endrizzi, a Plandome Heights resident, said the possible identification could finally answer painful questions for relatives. “Hopefully the family that may have been wondering, unfortunately, now knows,” Endrizzi said. “At least they know.”
That response reflected the emotional weight of the discovery, which turned an ordinary evening in the park into the start of a broader investigation. Residents are now waiting for police to confirm who the remains belong to.
The investigation remains open as officials work to confirm identity
Nassau County police said the case is still ongoing as they continue forensic work and examine the circumstances surrounding the discovery. No timeline has been given for when the remains might be identified.
Officials have not released further information about the deceased or about the missing person investigators think may be connected to the case. They also have not said whether additional searches will continue in or around the park.
For now, the park has been reopened, but the questions raised by the discovery remain unresolved. Police are expected to keep working to determine who the person was and what happened before the remains were found.
Local news that matters, from Dulaney Griffin.
