Massachusetts man with mental health issues found dead three years after disappearance

The remains of a missing Massachusetts man have been located.

According to police, remains located in Stanley Park in Westfield over the weekend have been identified as belonging to Timothy Kolendo.

Kolendo was last seen in November 2019 and was reported missing that December. He was 53 at the time of his disappearance.

Dave Procopio of Massachusetts State Police stated that on Saturday, just before 5:00 p.m., a hunter located partial skeletal remains in a wide expanse of woods and swampland near Stanley Park. Westfield Police responded along with Troopers from the State Police Detective Unit for Hampden County and State Police Crime Scene Services Section. Investigators searched the thickly wooded area that night for other bones or personal items but found none. The bones that were found were collected for forensic testing by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner and determined to be Kolendo.

Westfield Police stated that Kolendo had a known history of mental health issues. A friend speculated he may have been paranoid and attempted to disappear “off the grid.”

Kolendo left behind his vehicle and cell phone and his bank account had not been used since he went missing.

Friends remembered Kolendo as an avid mountain biker and guitar player.

There were no signs of foul play, and his death is not believed to be suspicious.