Remains Found In Hudson Valley Swamp In 1991 Are ID'd By New York State Police

MIDDLETOWN, NY — A mystery, nearly a half century in the making, has been solved thanks to dogged investigation, and state-of-the art technology.

In September, 1991, the New York State Police, SP Middletown, were called to the scene of human bones discovered after a swamp was drained off Woods Road in the Town of Greenville, in Orange County. Police found a skull and additional skeletal remains in a roughly seven-foot area, with portions of the remains buried under approximately one foot of earth.

The victim was found with several personal effects, but because of time and exposure to the elements, the items did not offer any useful information about identity at the time. However, investigators said, coins on the victim revealed that he possibly went missing in the mid-1970s.

Over the years, the Troop F Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) conducted interviews, worked with media, and probed for missing persons who might have been the linked to the remains. Investigators also made DNA submissions and explored the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) and National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs).

In 2024, in partnership with Homeland Security Investigations, a familial DNA sample was taken from the victim's remains for Forensic Genetic Genealogy analysis. The results indicated the victim had genetic roots in Eastern Europe, but no definitive identification could be made.

During that same year, personal property recovered from the victim was submitted to the FBI's Questioned Documents Unit, in Quantico. Their state-of-the-art analysis generated a critical lead suggesting the victim may have lived in the City of Port Jervis.

Based on this new information, state police focused their search in the City of Port Jervis.

The Port Jervis Police Department found a hard-copy blotter entry dated Oct. 1, 1976, documenting a missing person report for Mikolai Celesz, who was 76 at the time of his disappearance. The entry indicated that he had been reported missing by a family member.

With the assistance of the New York State Police Cold Case Unit, the New York State Intelligence Center, and the FBI's Organized Crime Unit, investigators conducted comprehensive historical research on Celesz.

In 2025, members of Troop F BCI headed to Florida to interview surviving relatives of Mikolai Celesz, which provided crucial background about his life and disappearance. DNA samples obtained from family members were analyzed by the New York State Police Forensic Investigation Center, which resulted in a positive identification: the remains recovered in 1991 were conclusively identified as those of Celesz.

"The New York State Police is grateful to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Department of Homeland Security Investigations, and the City of Port Jervis Police Department for their invaluable assistance," NYSP said in a statement. "Their partnership and dedication helped bring long-awaited answers to Mikolai’s family — more than forty-eight years after he disappeared."

Anyone with information about the disappearance of Mikolai Celesz is urged to contact Troop F Communications at 845-344-5300 and reference case number 3021756.