TOWN OF TUSTEN, NY — A Queens man was found dead in the woods near the Tusten Mountain Trail, according to the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation.

The 57-year-old from Maspeth, NY, had last been seen two nights earlier by his wife, according to the DEC. He had left a note saying he was driving to New Jersey to get a part for their furnace. 

On March 12 at 1 a.m., the man's family pinged his phone to Crawford Road in Narrowsburg. After finding the man’s car on the Tusten Mountain Trail, the New York State Police and the National Park Service asked for assistance from forest rangers. At 2:45 p.m., Glen Parker, an environmental conservation officer, called forest ranger Timothy Schweider about the ongoing search. They joined state troopers, Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office deputies, and National Park Service rangers in the search. 

At 5 p.m., a New York State Police Aviation unit found the man dead in the woods. Search crews carried him up a steep slope using a rope system and turned him over to the county coroner.  

The man’s name has not been released. This message from the DEC, included in its report, points to a possible suicide: “If you or someone you know needs mental health assistance, help is available,’ said the DEC statement announcing the death. “988 is a free 24-hour hotline to call or text anywhere in New York. You can also call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK.”