Remains found in Long Island wooded area identified as Roosevelt man, possible MS 13 victim

ByEyewitness News WABC logo
Tuesday, June 5, 2018
Police ID remains found in Roosevelt, LI
Police ID remains found in Roosevelt, LIPolice identified the remains found in a wooded area of Nassau County.

ROOSEVELT, Nassau County (WABC) -- Police in Nassau County have identified the body found buried last week in a wooded area of the Roosevelt Preserve.

Homicide Squad detectives determined the victim was 19-year-old Josue Amaya Leonor of Roosevelt.

The body was discovered after a search following the arrest of a third person in another murder linked to the violent MS-13 gang.

Josue Figueroa-Velasquez, 18, is now facing murder charges in the death of 16-year-old Angel Soler.

Soler's remains were found last October in a wooded area in Roosevelt after he was attacked with a machete. David Sosa-Guevara, 26, of Wyandanch, and Victor Lopez, of Roosevelt, were previously arrested and charged with second-degree murder.

Police believe his killing is linked to the deadly MS-13 gang, and Figueroa-Velasquez's arrest prompted Nassau police, the FBI and Homeland Security Investigations to search for possible remains in a wooded area in Roosevelt. The body was recovered in a grave about five feet deep in the field off Frederick Avenue, and the discovery is suspected to be connected to MS-13.

Josue Amaya Leonor went missing in 2016. Last week Eyewitness News spoke with his sister after she had been told the remains may be his.

The search was prompted by a tip that came in with the arrest.

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