Nassau Police Dig Up Human Remains At Investigation Site

Nassau police announced Friday afternoon that they have found the body of one unidentified man in a wooded area in Roosevelt.

Police have been searching the site, which is located on West Greenwich Avenue in Roosevelt, along the Southern State Parkway, since Thursday morning. Nassau police received a tip from Department of Homeland Security agents that there could be human remains in the site, and police secured it late Wednesday night.

At a press conference Friday afternoon, Detective Lieutenant Stephen Fitzpatrick said that the remains are being sent to the medical examiner's office to be identified. Rumors have circulated that the body is somehow related to gangs on Long Island, but police will not confirm that.

"We don't know who this person is right now, so we don't know anything about his past or who he was associated with," said Fitzpatrick.

Fitzpatrick said that the state police have been helping with the search with dogs, who identified a few areas that are of interest to the police. The search is slow, though, because the area is treacherous and overgrown. One officer broke his ankle during the search on Thursday, Fitzpatrick said.

Making things even more difficult is the size of the area — 27 acres. "The process is slow because of the terrain and the growth," said Fitzpatrick. "Any areas we have an interest interest in, we're taking a slow, methodical process."

Fitzpatrick said the process the police used to unearth the body was akin to an archaeological dig in its pacing and thoroughness.

Police will continue to search the area, likely for many more days. There is also a pond on the site, which may have to be searched as well.

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