Man Found Dead In LI Pool 'Strongly Believed' To Be Missing Suspect In Dad's Killing: PD

LONG ISLAND, NY — The body of a man found dead in a backyard swimming pool over Memorial Day weekend on Long Island is strongly believed by investigators to be that of a missing man sought in connection with the slaying of his father, a Suffolk police said Tuesday.

Detectives believe there is "a strong possibility" the body of the man found in the swimming pool in East Shoreham on Sunday is Matthew Zoll, 23, according to police. The man was not wearing shoes, was wearing clothing similar to what Zoll was wearing when he was last seen, and the home is "in close proximity" to the location where Zoll was involved in a single-vehicle crash on the night of the murder, according to police.

Zoll has been described as 6 feet 1 inches tall, weighs 150 lbs, and has brown hair and brown eyes, one of which has a small scar under it.

A cause of death for the man believed to be him has not been determined, police said.

The man's remains have been transferred to the county Medical Examiner's office in Hauppauge, and it is not clear how long it will take for a positive identification, according to police.

Homicide detectives are continuing to investigate.

No further information was immediately released.

Zoll, 23, is believed to have stabbed his father, Joseph Zoll, 61, to death on Nov. 9.

Police previously revealed that the father made the 911 call reporting that his son had stabbed him.

Seventh Precinct officers responded to Joseph Zoll's home on Quail Road in Rocky Point at around 1:25 a.m. on Nov. 9 after he reported his son had stabbed him, police said.

When officers arrived, they found Zoll and he was taken to Stony Brook University Hospital where he was pronounced dead, according to police.

The day after the slaying, Homicide Squad detectives announced they were seeking the public’s help in finding Matthew Zoll, who they say fled in a black GMC Yukon that he crashed.

The Yukon was found about five hours later nearby at the intersection of Rte 25A and William Floyd Parkway in Shoreham and has been impounded, police said.

Zoll was believed to be injured and not in a vehicle, according to police.

Investigators continued their search for Zoll for weeks.

A massive search including multiple law enforcement agencies was undertaken of the North Shore of eastern Brookhaven Town and a part of Riverhead Town, near the crime scene, along mostly dense, wooded areas on Route 25A, and a command unit was stationed just south on William Floyd Parkway in November.

In the roughly week and a half after the slaying, the search for Zoll covered more than 1,600 acres in Shoreham, using investigative methods including cadaver dogs, detectives, patrol officers, aviation units, and infrared cameras, a police spokesperson said.

Chief of Detectives Darrel Simmons previously said investigators are redoing "some areas" that personnel has "already checked, just to make sure as far as safety."

"This was a targeted incident that was involved with a family member, his father," he said.

He then urged residents in the area to secure their houses and vehicles.

"I mean, this is not anything but a targeted incident at this point," he added.

Joseph Zoll was laid to rest on Nov. 20, according to his funeral arrangements.

Detectives are asking anyone with information can call the Homicide Squad at 631-852-6392 or anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-220-TIPS, a confidential police hotline.

This is a breaking story and will be updated.