By Rich Bockmann
The city medical examiner’s office has determined drowning to be the cause of death for Vangel Joti, whose lifeless body was found floating in the waters of Little Bay near the Throgs Neck Bridge in May.
On April 6, the police asked the public’s assistance in finding the missing 54-year old, who was last seen inside his Astoria home two days earlier.
More than a month passed, and in the morning hours of May 11 an NYPD Harbor Patrol unit spotted Joti’s unconscious and unresponsive body floating in the water near the intersection of the Clearview Expressway and Willets Point Boulevard within the confines of the 109th Precinct, police said.
When Joti was taken to waiting emergency medical service personnel at Fort Totten Park, he was pronounced dead on arrival, according to police.
Joti was later identified by his son and the body was taken to the Joseph Farenga & Sons Funeral Home in Astoria, according to the medical examiner’s office. A woman at Joseph Faregna & Sons, however, said the funeral home did not have arrangements for anyone by that name.
Joti was believed to be a member of the Albanian community.
A woman who did not speak English answered a phone call placed to his home on Crescent Street.
The police said the case was now closed due to “no criminality.”
Reach reporter Rich Bockmann by e-mail at rbockmann@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-260-4574.
