A man’s body was recovered from Croton Falls Reservoir in Southeast near the Carmel town line on Sunday in what the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office is calling a homicide under investigation.
In a statement, PCSO officials said the victim was discovered by fishermen who reported finding the body at about 2 p.m. in the water near Magnetic Mine Road close to the Carmel-Southeast border.
Deputies and investigators recovered the victim, who was later identified by family members as Aurelio Zhunio-Orbez, a 66-year-old man reported missing by his family to Danbury police on Dec. 1, prompting search efforts in both Connecticut and New York.
Following a postmortem examination on Monday, the Office of the Putnam County Coroner ruled the death a homicide. A comprehensive criminal investigation is underway, the PCSO statement said. Putnam County Sheriff Brian Hess told Mahopac News that investigators believe Zhunio-Orbez was in the water since his disappearance on Dec. 1.
"We believe he was in the water the whole time since he went missing," Hess said, adding that police were not yet ready to release the cause of death and are waiting for the final coroner's report.
Hess said the victim leaves behind a wife and children and was active in his church community, which was in the area searching for him on the day his body was discovered.
"He seemed like a real nice family man, he had family members at the scene," Hess said. "It's a sad situation."
Hess said the victim was last seen in Brewster, where he worked as a taxi driver.
The investigation includes what PCSO officials are calling a “vehicle of interest” allegedly stolen from the victim.
“During the investigation, detectives confirmed that the vehicle [pictured] is the victim’s vehicle, a black Toyota Sienna livery cab,” the PCSO said. “Evidence indicates that the vehicle was allegedly stolen by the perpetrator following the homicide.”
The vehicle is described as:
Black Toyota Sienna, livery cab with “ORBESTAXI.COM” printed on the rear and marked with “V89” on the left rear. It is equipped with a white roof-mounted accessory displaying “TAXI” in black lettering. New York registration is visible in the photo.
The Sheriff’s Office is asking anyone who may have seen this vehicle or noticed unusual or suspicious activity involving it in the Brewster or Purdys areas on or around Dec. 1 to contact investigators immediately.
“Even small details may help establish the timeline of events and assist in identifying the person responsible,” the PCSO said.
“This is now an active homicide investigation,” Sheriff Brian Hess and Undersheriff James Menton said in a joint statement. “Our detectives and partner agencies are working tirelessly to determine what happened, identify the perpetrator, and deliver justice for Mr. Zhunio-Orbez and his family. We urge anyone who saw this vehicle or anything out of the ordinary to contact us right away.”
Anyone with information is asked to call the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office at 845-225-4300, Ext. 42252.
Information in this press release is subject to change as the investigation progresses.
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