Man found dead and tied up on side of highway in Queens identified as realtor
QUEENS (WABC) -- A man who was found tied at the hands and feet with head trauma off a highway in Queens this week has been identified as a realtor and Haitian immigrant.
Emmanuel Moncoeur, 57, died of blunt force trauma to the head, and the medical examiner deemed cause of death a homicide.
Moncoeur's body was found in the grass off the Clearview Expressway in Queens on Tuesday morning.
He had suffered a fractured skull from the force of impact.
His body was decomposing upon discovery, and it is unclear how long he was in the grassy area. Forensics will determine when he was killed.
HIs long-time friends are having a difficult time reconciling what happened.
"I can understand things happening in the world, but like, that is like kidnapping somebody, and you tie him up and, nah, that's too much," said friend Valery Pierre.
His body was discovered by a disabled driver earlier in the week. Moncoeur had last been seen by his housemates on Jan. 2.
"I was sleeping when I heard him leaving the apartment, but I tried to call him in the evening, he didn't answer," Pierre said. "When I realize three, four, five days, six days, it is so unusual."
Moncoeur was living in a multi-family home in Forest Hills with his housemates who were like family.
Pierre said two officers came out to take the report but he hadn't heard anything until NYPD officers showed up this week to search his apartment after his body was found.
"I was thinking like he might have a car accident, he might be in the hospital and nobody knows," Pierre said. "So maybe let me call 911 just to figure it out."
Moncoeur has no criminal record or history with police and was never reported missing.
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