2nd autopsy supports ruling that man’s death was accidental

PHOTOGRAPHER: Jill Bryce

A second autopsy on the body of Joshua Szostak, whose body was found last week in the Hudson River near Coxsackie, determined that he accidentally drowned.

This finding matches the conclusion of the first autopsy done last week.

The second autopsy was done by well-known pathologist Dr. Michael Baden on Monday at the family’s request because they were unsatisfied with the first autopsy and said they had many unanswered questions.

Joshua Szostak’s funeral was on Tuesday and Bill Szostak, Joshua’s father, could not be reached to comment.

Prior to the discovery of his body in the river in Greene County, Szostak, 21, had last been seen drinking at the Bayou Cafe on North Pearl Street in downtown Albany at 12:15 a.m. on Dec. 23. Several minutes later, he was recorded on video surveillance at the intersection of State and North Pearl streets.

Albany police closed the case last Thursday when the first autopsy determined the cause of Szostak’s death was accidental drowning and there was no struggle or evidence of foul play.

Although Albany police have closed the case, two retired New York City detectives are looking into a string of 40 deaths of white, college-aged males across the country who were reported missing. In nearly every case, their bodies were found and their deaths were ruled accidental drownings, like Szostak’s.

Detective James Miller, spokesman for the Albany Police Department, said on Tuesday the Albany police did not look into this as part of its investigation. “There was no criminal evidence here. His death was ruled accidental. We have no information whatsoever linking it to other cases across the county and found no criminality in this case,” Miller said.