Photo: Getty Images
A woman found dead at the Vanderbilt Mansion site in Hyde Park has been identified as 69-year-old Helen Pardini from Poughkeepsie. Her body was discovered by a hiker on December 6 near the east shore of the Hudson River, south of Bard Rock, a scenic spot on the mansion's property. The mansion, part of a 211-acre site owned by the National Park Service, became the focus of a suspicious death investigation led by the New York State Police in Rhinebeck and the Hyde Park Police Department.
The New York State Police confirmed Pardini's identity on Monday (January 6). The Dutchess County Medical Examiner had previously described the deceased as a Caucasian female, 5 feet 5 inches tall, weighing 112 pounds, with gray hair and brown eyes. There were no scars, marks, or tattoos on her body.
The investigation remains active, and authorities are treating Pardini's death as suspicious. They have asked the public for any information related to a missing elderly woman in the Hyde Park area. Anyone with information is urged to contact Investigator Filippini at 845-677-7300, referencing case # NY2400970235.
The case has puzzled both police and the public for over a month, and the Times Union reports that the investigation continues to seek leads.