A New Jersey man was found dead in a submerged car weeks after he vanished from his Keyport home, police said.
Rice Masongo, 45, went missing on April 8. His body was discovered Saturday inside a Ford Focus submerged in a retention pond in a gated community.
A resident called 911 after spotting a tire and a car trunk sticking out of the water. Masongo’s body was found inside the car.
Local news outlets reported that a pair of boat shoes was found in the open trunk. The tires were muddy, and the rear window was smashed.
Police said that neighbors did not see or hear the vehicle entering the pond. They are seeking surveillance footage from within the community to determine how Masongo’s car ended up in the basin.
“There is no indication that there is any danger to the public or that anyone other than Mr. Masongo was involved with the vehicle entering the retention basin,” police said.
“At this time, there are still no known witnesses to the vehicle entering the water, therefore, a timeframe remains unknown.”
