Missing Mahopac Man Found After Extraordinary Effort

CARMEL, NY — A 66-year-old who went missing from his home in Mahopac was found alive four days later after search and rescue teams from many agencies went yard to yard and through the woods in the neighborhoods surrounding his residence.

On the evening of July 27, Roy Clayton's family called Carmel Police. Clayton had last been seen by his family around lunchtime when he left his residence on Myrtle Avenue for a walk. He did not have a mobile phone.

The family had searched the area on their own already, police said.

Carmel Police detectives, the Carmel Police K9 Unit and Carmel Police Drone Unit began searching. They received assistance from the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, New York State Police, Westchester County Police, and Mahopac Falls Volunteer Fire Department responded to aid in the search Thursday night.

The investigation and search continued into the weekend with negative results, police said. By that time it included also the New York State Police, Westchester County police, and additional assets from the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation Forest Rangers, Mahopac Volunteer Fire Department, Carmel Volunteer Fire Department, Putnam County Bureau of Emergency Services Technical Rescue Team, and a number of regional volunteer Search and Rescue teams.

On Sunday, Carmel Police Detectives led by Lieut. Michael Bodo and Det. Sgt. Brian Forde organized a re-canvass by CPD, PCSO, NYSP, and WCPD personnel of the residential areas surrounding Myrtle Avenue in a second attempt to locate Clayton on home security video footage.

As a result, they found video of him in the area of Rustic Road and Pouting Rock Road around 11 a.m. on Thursday.

On Monday, the investigation focused on a multi-acre heavily wooded area between Pouting Rock Road and Carmine Drive. Clayton was found at 2:28 p.m., alive and conscious, by State Trooper Patrick Porteus and K9 Jet along with Carmel Police PO Vincent DeSantola and K9 Pietro.

Mahopac Falls Volunteer Fire Department EMS units treated and transported Clayton to an awaiting medivac helicopter where he was airlifted to Westchester Medical Center.

"The Town of Carmel Police Department thanks the tremendous response, teamwork, and never ending effort of our partner first responder agencies, volunteers, and community members that participated in the successful resolution to this incident. We pass along the thanks of the family and ask that the public respect their wishes for privacy as Clayton recovers," police said in a news release.

List of First Responder/Volunteer Agencies Involved:

Law Enforcement
1. Town of Carmel Police Department Patrol/Detectives/K9/Drone/Dive Team
2. Putnam County Sheriff’s Office (Thurs, Fri, Sat, Sun, Mon) Investigators/Patrol resources/k-9/drone
3. Westchester County Department of Public Safety (Westchester County Police) (Thurs, Fri, Sun,
Mon) K-9 teams/Aviation on multiple occasions/Drone
4. New York State Police – Troop K (Fri, Sat, Sun, Mon) K-9 teams/uniformed patrol/drone teams
5. NYS Department of Environmental Conservation Forest Rangers (Fri, Sat, Mon) Several Rangers from around the State/Contacted Volunteer Search and Rescue teams for Saturday’s Search

Fire/EMS Units
1. Mahopac Falls Volunteer Fire Department (Thurs, Fri, Sat, Sun, Mon) Members assisted in Search/used Fire House as Command Post/ Dive Team for pond searches/ EMS Ambulance crew responded to recover Mr. Clayton from woods
2. Mahopac Volunteer Fire Department (Sat) Members assisted in Search
3. Carmel Volunteer Fire Department (Sat) Members assisted in Search
4. Putnam County Bureau of Emergency Services Tactical Rescue Team (Sat) Members assisted in Search

Volunteer Search and Rescue Teams (contacted by NYS Park Rangers) various members assisted in search. (Sat)
1. NY Federation of Search and Rescue Teams
2. Disaster and Wilderness Ground Searchers
3. Catskill Mountain Search and Rescue
4. Sam’s Point Search and Rescue