FBI agents have found human remains in the Underhill Preserve in Jericho, and the individual believed to be responsible is in custody of law enforcement, according to the Nassau County Police Department.
County police said the department assisted the FBI with removing the remains on the site but the FBI is heading the investigation. Homeland Security agents were reportedly seen on site as well.
Efforts to reach the FBI were unavailing.
“The remains appear to have been present for several years and law enforcement has a preliminary identification of the deceased, which will be confirmed by further testing,” county police said in a press release.
Nassau police said the suspect is in custody and “there is no threat to the community.”
“This incident has certainly been unsettling for residents because of all the unknowns,” said Town of Oyster Bay Council Member Vicki Walsh. She said local law enforcement was unable to share details with town officials since it is a federal investigation.
The investigation into the 81-acre preserve, located near the intersection of Cedar Swamp Road and Jericho Turnpike and across the street from Jericho High School, began on Wednesday, April 9, according to police.
A district spokesperson said the high school and the middle school, which are located on the same grounds, have continued operations as normal.
“We’ve received calls from parents (who) are understandably concerned – they’re very upset,” Walsh said. “That preserve is located near after-school activities; it’s near a walking area for the kids. The feeling of not knowing what’s going on is very unnerving.”
Reports say the investigation is linked to the MS-13 gang. The MS-13 gang is an international organization that has been named a US-designated Foreign Terrorist Organization under an executive order signed by President Donald Trump earlier this year.
“MS-13 actively recruits, organizes, and spreads violence in several countries, primarily in Central America and North America, including El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, Mexico and the United States,” the State Department said in a Feb. 20 press release.
