A body found Friday at Garret Mountain Reservation overlooking Paterson has been identified as a 20-year-old city man who had been missing for weeks.
The man, Martin Mendoza, did not appear to be the victim of foul play, authorities said Sunday.
“Although this matter remains an active and ongoing investigation, there are no suspects being sought at this time, and there is no danger to the public,” read a joint announcement from Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes and Sheriff Thomas Adamo.
The cause of death would be determined following an autopsy, the announcement said.
It said sheriff’s officers found Mendoza’s body when responding to a report of an unresponsive male at 12:50 p.m. on Friday.
The announcement did not say how long Mendoza had been missing. But the Paterson Police Department posted a Feb, 14 appeal on Facebook characterizing Mendoza as missing and asking the public for any information about him.
Another appeal on Facebook, posted that same day on the Gone But Not Forgotten missing persons page, said Mendoza was last seen on Feb. 8.
It said surveillance footage captured him leaving a Dunkin’ Donuts on Valley Road in Clifton, on Paterson’s southern border near the 310-acre heavily wooded reservation, a Passaic County park.
Sunday’s announcement by the prosecutor and sheriff asked that anyone with information on the case contact a county tips line by phone or email at 1-877-370-PCPO or tips@passaiccountynj.org.
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Steve Strunsky may be reached at sstrunsky@njadvancemedia.com