Body found in river is David Bird, missing Long Hill man, police said

LONG HILL TWP. – The body recovered from the Passaic River Wednesday night has been identified as David Bird of nearby Millington, police said.

Positive identification was made through dental records, according to a joint statement released at 2:04 p.m. Thursday by Morris County Prosecutor Fredric M. Knapp and Long Hill Township Police Chief Michael Mazzeo.

Bird, a Wall Street Journal reporter, was 55 when he was reported missing in the area of the river 14 months ago. When he disappeared on Jan. 11, 2014, he was wearing a red jacket, blue jeans, sneakers, a hat with a flashlight strapped to it, and glasses.

He was last seen leaving his home on Long Hill Road with plans to take a walk. The Passaic River was heavily combed throughout the search. However, the river was frozen in the immediate months after Bird's disappearance, making for a challenging search effort.

A missing person investigation has been ongoing ever since.

On Wednesday, about 5 p.m., two men canoeing the Passaic River came across a red jacket located near branches, according to the official joint statement. Immediately, they notified the Bernards Township Police Department.

Officials said police later determined the existence of human remains and a multi-agency recovery operation was launched.

The news came on the same day the family launched FindDavidBird.info, a campaign to help raise awareness of the ongoing search.

Long Hill keeps David Bird in mind with vigil at 1 year

On Thursday afternoon, the Bird family issued a statement, through Carolyn Buscarino, its spokesperson, thanking the many members of law enforcement, especially Chief Michael Mazzeo and the Long Hill Township Police Department, for their tireless efforts to find Bird. They also thanked "the countless friends, neighbors and strangers who have prayed for David and for the family over the past 14 months."

The identification was made by Dr. Carlos A Fonseca of the Morris County Medical Examiner's Office and forensic ondotologist Mitchell M. Kirshbaum, officials said. At this time, the Medical Examiner's investigation into the cause and manner of death is ongoing.

The multi-agency recovery operation that occurred Wednesday night included members of the Morris County Prosecutor's Office, the Long Hill Township Police Department, the Bernards Township Police Department, the Liberty Corner Fire Department, Millington Fire Department, the Parsippany Search Rescue and Recovery Team, the Morris County Sheriff's Office, the Morris County Park Police, Berkeley Heights Fire Department, Whippany Fire Department, Boonton Township Fire Department, Morris County Fire Coordinator, Denville Dive Team, and Liberty Corner First Aid Squad.

The Whippany, Millington, and Berkeley Heights fire departments supplied boats for the recovery.

The family asked that their privacy be respected as they begin to mourn. Funeral arrangements have not yet been finalized.

Lorraine Ash: 973-428-6660; lash@njpressmedia.com, Michael Izzo: 973-428-6636; mizzo@dailyrecord.com