Missing Lakewood, NJ man’s body found in Mississippi River
The body of a Jackson man who went missing during a business trip to New Orleans has been recovered.
Michael Gelfand, 34, went to New Orleans for a one-day business trip on Jan. 5. His family last heard from him on Jan. 6 but he never returned home.
Nearly three dozen friends flew to New Orleans to conduct their own search following leads like where his credit card was used and where people have reported seeing him, group leader Nathan Ginsbury told WGNO TV. A $10,000 reward was also posted for information leading to Gelfand's whereabouts.
New Orleans Coroner's Office spokesman Jason Melacon told New Jersey 101.5 that Gelfand was found Friday around 10 p.m. in the Mississippi River at the end of Third Street. A cause and manner of death remain under investigation.
Melacon could not disclose what led to the discovery of Gelfand's body.
A funeral for Gelfand was held Tuesday morning at the 7th Street Chapel in Lakewood, according to The Lakewood Scoop, which was first to report his death.
In a statement to the Scoop, Ginsbury thanked those who paused their own lives to search for Gelfand.
"From ground searches to drone pilots, from jetski searches to scrutinizing aerial footage, from underwater sonar scans to chartered Cadaver dogs 'no' was not in your vocabulary," Ginsbury said.
EDITOR'S NOTE: This article has been updated with the correct services information for the victim.
Dan Alexander is a reporter for New Jersey 101.5. You can reach him at dan.alexander@townsquaremedia.com
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