Human Remains Found In Methuen ID'd As Missing Queen City Man

MANCHESTER, NH — Authorities have been working on locating a missing man from Manchester who was last seen March 13.

The family of the man, Zakhia Charabati, 52, has circulated flyers looking for him or leads of where he disappeared to. Manchester police were involved but it appears no law enforcement agency issued a flyer, or any information on his disappearance.

Charabati lived on the West Side of the Queen City and owned a business distributing products to several large grocery stores in New Hampshire. Several of his customers have spoken to Patch calling him a very hardworking man who was very good at servicing his customers.

The FBI, Methuen Police, Methuen DPW, and Manchester police worked together in Methuen, Massachusetts, this week excavating a large area behind a closed commercial building on Milk Street. The FBI Evidence Response Team moved nearly 4 acres of ground and dirt and around 4:15 p.m. Thursday, the FBI confirmed they had located human remains at the site.

Multiple family members of Charabati have been told the remains found are likely him.

Patch has learned through sources that Charabati's work vehicle disappeared at the same time as he did. The vehicle, according to sources, was found on in Lawrence, Massachusetts, recently. Evidence in the vehicle confirmed his deceased body was located in the vehicle.

Investigators, using evidence collected and GPS information, were led to the area which was searched in Methuen near the popular Loop Mall. The human remains were removed by the Massachusetts Office of the Medical Examiner and an autopsy will be performed on the remains.

A cause of death, manner of death, and positive identity will be made by their office. It is unknown the time frame of this being completed.

Several of Charabati's neighbors in the Manchester neighborhood near the Bedford town line shared positive stories about their neighbor. The area in which Charabati lived was visited by police after his disappearance with investigators requesting any video surveillance footage from the day he disappeared.

Sources said the initial reports of Charabati missing came from his employer and not his wife, who lives in the same house. A relative of Charabati has taken over servicing his route, and maintaining his customers accounts since his disappearance. Multiple customers have told Patch the relative servicing the account had shared concern about Charabati's disappearance and the lack of leads.

A picture on Charabati's Facebook page showed a photo of him with a female who had been identified as his wife, Flavia. Photos shared by Charabati's family and friends show a flyer which was put together looking for Charabati and looking for leads.

On Friday, the chief medical examiner in Massachusetts confirmed the remains found in Methuen were that have Charabati.

Manchester, NH Police also continue to investigate the deaths of four men that have not yet led to any arrests. To read about those investigations click here