Body found in backyard swimming pool in East Shoreham likely 23-year-old murder suspect: police
23-year-ol Matthew Zoll allegedly stabbed his own 61-year-old father last November
EAST SHOREHAM, Long Island (WABC) -- A body found in a backyard pool over the weekend on Long Island, is now believed to be a 23-year-old man who stabbed his father to death back in November.
"Unfortunately, a homeowner went out to open his pool, they discovered a body," said Suffolk County Police Department Commissioner Kevin Catalina.
Catalina told reporters that the body found in a backyard inground swimming pool on Palm Court in East Shoreham is likely 23-year-old homicide suspect Matthew Zoll.
"It's really sad, really crazy," said neighbor Megan Ferretti. "We've been looking for the guy for a very long time."
Zoll, who police previously said was schizophrenic, allegedly stabbed his own 61-year-old father Joseph Zoll to death inside their Quail Road home in Rocky Point last November.
Police say the younger Zoll then took an SUV, and crashed it about half a mile from the East Shoreham home.
Sources say Matthew Zoll, who was badly hurt from the crash, disappeared for months without a trace.
"Based on the location that the body was found, proximity to what we believe was the crash site of Matthew Zoll, the clothing, the fact that there were no shoes on the individual, we are investigating the possibility, the strong possibility, that it would be Matthew Zoll," Catalina said.
Law enforcement sources confirm to Eyewitness News that the home belongs to a veteran Suffolk County Police detective and member of the same task force that was searching for Zoll.
Sources say the detective was opening his swimming pool for the season with his teenage son on the Sunday afternoon before Memorial Day, when they found the body in the water.
Catalina, who declined to confirm the homeowner was a member of his department, gave details about how Zoll might have ended up inside the pool.
"It was a Loop-Loc cover, but it appears that one of the portions of the Loop-Loc was undone, and somehow the body became secreted under that portion of the pool cover," Catalina said.
Catalina says there is no evidence of foul play in the backyard of the well-kept home.
"It's crazy in my safe neighborhood. It's just nuts," said neighbor Brett Limoncelli.
Suffolk County Police say they don't have a definitive ID on the body yet. They are waiting for the DNA test results.
The exact cause of death is still not known.
----------
* Download the abc7NY app for breaking news alerts
Submit a tip or story idea to Eyewitness News
Have a breaking news tip or an idea for a story we should cover? Send it to Eyewitness News using the form below. If attaching a video or photo, terms of use apply.
