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Troopers said they were alerted to the discovery near County Route 92 and used fingerprints to confirm the victim's identity identity: Moses Baptiste, 43, of Roscoe. Family members had reported him missing in September 2024, police said in a statement.
Following a preliminary investigation, police said the manner of Moses’ death was consistent with suicide.
New information shared by his siblings paints a deeper picture of who Moses was — and the struggles he endured.
WARNING: The following news report contains sensitive and upsetting information. Reader discretion is advised.
Moses had schizophrenia, a condition he battled since age 19, his sibling wrote in a GoFundMe launched to help cover burial costs. He had been missing since late August 2024. It wasn’t until March 17, during a search for two other missing teens in the area, that Moses was found. A week later, the family says, they were informed he died from a gunshot wound to the head. “His case is still under investigation,” his brother wrote on the fundraiser page.
“He was lovable and a jokester,” his sibling continued. “Moses was more than his illness — he was creative, funny, full of heart, and deeply loved.”
Moses was a street artist who loved graffiti. According to the GoFundMe, he even painted a mural at Vanguard High School in Manhattan. He had a passion for hip hop, often writing raps while watching BET’s Hip Hop Awards and Cypher sessions.
Now, his siblings are trying to raise $8,700 to cover funeral expenses, according to the campaign. On top of that, they say they need an additional $700 to rent a dumpster to clean out Moses’ apartment, noting that he had become a hoarder.
The GoFundMe can be found here.
Anyone struggling with suicidal thoughts is urged to call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, available 24/7.
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