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State Police have identified the man found dead in Catskill Creek over the weekend as 32-year-old McKinley Smith, a resident of Catskill. On Sunday (November 2), bystanders called authorities after spotting a body in the water around 11:30 a.m. According to the Times Union, Smith's remains were recovered by New York State Police, with assistance from the Greene County Sheriff's Office and the Catskill Village Police Department.
An autopsy conducted on Monday revealed that Smith died from drowning. The Greene County District Attorney confirmed there is no evidence of foul play. However, the investigation is ongoing, and authorities are urging anyone with information to contact the New York State Police in Middletown at (845) 344-5300, referencing case number NY2501090207, as reported by CBS 6 Albany.
Smith had a prior arrest in August for allegedly burglarizing a local McDonald's, where he was charged with burglary and grand larceny for stealing $2,500 from the store's safe. The New York Upstate reported that Catskill Creek, a popular spot for anglers and kayakers, is a tributary of the Hudson River running through the village of Catskill, about 10 minutes south of the city of Hudson.