Help sought to ID man's body on Plum Island beach

Suffolk's cold-case detectives are asking for the public's help as they try to identify a dead man who washed ashore on a Plum Island beach.

The body, found Jan. 14 by an island security guard, is that of a black man between 50 and 70 years old. He was 5-foot-10 and weighed between 160 and 190 pounds, said the case investigator, Det. Stephen Jacobs.

Detectives have consulted with Stony Brook ocean experts who analyzed weather conditions and the Long Island Sound's currents, hypothesizing that the body may have drifted from Connecticut, Rhode Island or Massachusetts, Jacobs said.

The man was wearing a light green, three-button shirt with dark green horizontal stripes, green cargo pants with buttons inscribed "God Body Collection," size 10 brown loafers, blue plaid boxer shorts and a belt with a buckle inscribed "Stacy Adams."

An autopsy revealed no signs of trauma or a definitive cause of death, Jacobs said. The man had a well-healed head injury as well as indications of prior neurosurgery. His system had the anti-seizure medicines phenobarbital and Dilantin.

"Once we identify him, we can piece together his life and particularly the last few days of his life, and this could either rule in or rule out foul play," Jacobs said.

The Plum Island Animal Disease Center, located off Long Island's northeastern tip, is run by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Because the federal government owns the island, the FBI, the Federal Protective Service and the Department of Homeland Security are also investigating.

Anyone with information is asked to call the homicide squad at 631-852-6392 or the Crime Stoppers hotline: 800-220-TIPS.