NISKAYUNA — A body recently uncovered in the Mohawk River at Niskayuna has been identified by police as that of a missing Canajoharie man.
Kevin White, 41, was found dead Saturday afternoon just after 4 p.m. near Lions Park. An autopsy Monday at 9 a.m. affirmed the body’s identity. He’s been missing since mid-February.
White’s sister doesn’t believe what has been ruled a suicide by officials.
“I want a lot to happen now,” Nicole Frederick said in a message. “Kevin wasn’t suicidal.”
She called an earlier police press release “totally inappropriate,” noting that she wasn’t aware of it going out.
There were no obvious signs of trauma or foul play seen, according to police. Canajoharie Police Chief Bryan MacFadden said that he checked with “every contact” and found that nobody had any intent to harm White.
“She can’t emotionally commit to what has happened,” MacFadden said of Frederick.
MacFadden told the family on Saturday that White was found in Niskayuna, but didn’t publicly disclose the details until the autopsy came out. The case is now closed.
The chief noted that there were a number of medical-related details involved in White’s death that he couldn’t disclose under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996.
White — lacking access to social media and cell phone service — was last seen on two video surveillance systems at 5:39 p.m. on Jan. 12. The disappearance was reported to Canajoharie police on Jan. 16, according to the village agency.
The rural Montgomery County village was the lead agency on the case. A number of other agencies spanning state police and a number of cities and counties assisted in the probe.
“We’ve had many sightings — many possible sightings of him since then,” MacFadden said at a press conference earlier on Monday. “All of them had been followed up and none of them could be confirmed.”
Canajoharie police noted someone kayaking on the river first spotted the body at 4:05 p.m. on Monday when they discovered what would later be identified as White’s body. The communities are roughly 40 miles apart.
“It’s a long way aways, but it’s been three months and the water’s flowed a lot,” MacFadden said. “We’ve had people go much farther.”
Niskayuna rescuers brought White’s body to investigators. White was wearing the same clothes as Jan. 12 and a “known tattoo” was seen on him, according to McFadden.
Tyler A. McNeil can be reached at 518-395-3047 or [email protected]. Follow him on Facebook at Tyler A. McNeil, Daily Gazette or Twitter @TylerAMcNeil.
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