LONG ISLAND, NY – In a grisly case that has shocked the community of Patchogue, Long Island, a 72-year-old man, Gary Cowell, has been indicted for his involvement in the dismemberment of a local woman’s body and dispersing her remains across multiple locations.
The Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office, headed by Raymond A. Tierney, announced the charges on Monday, which include tampering with physical evidence and unlawful concealment of a human corpse. The indictment follows the discovery of the dismembered remains of a 56-year-old Patchogue woman, who was reported missing since June 13.
Cowell, who reportedly last saw the victim alive, guided detectives to the locations where the remains were found after his initial interview with law enforcement. An axe purportedly used to dismember the woman was among several pieces of critical evidence retrieved from Cowell’s residence, illustrating the calculated nature of this disturbing act.
As the community reels from this unsettling revelation, the medical examiner’s office is yet to confirm the cause of death, leaving more questions in a case that has deeply affected the victim’s family and local residents.
Gary Cowell is currently held on a $1 million cash bond and is scheduled for his next court appearance on July 25, 2024. The investigation into this gruesome case continues in order to determine the events that led to such a horrific act.