CT man missing from Newtown since 2013 found dead in New York after living under new name

Mike Mavredakis, Hartford Courant
·2 min read

A man reported missing from Newtown in 2013 was found dead in New York on Monday after living under a different name for over nine years, according to the Newtown Police Department.

Robert Hoagland was last seen on July 28, 2013, at a gas station on Church Hill Road in Newtown. Police were called the next day after he did not pick up a family member from the airport as he was scheduled to, according to Newtown police. Newtown police later found out he failed to show up for work that day while investigating.

Officers found his wallet, cell phone, medication and the family cars at his home. The investigation into his disappearance remained open and police received some information on sightings, police said. The disappearance was the subject of some media attention, including a segment on Investigation Discovery’s show Disappeared, police said.

Police from the Sullivan County Sherriff’s Department in New York contacted Newtown police on Monday with possible information on Hoagland. The department had responded to an untimely death notification at a residence in Rock Hill, New York, and could not identify the man found. They did find papers with the name Robert Hoagland and found he was missing after a search, according to Newtown police.

Newtown detectives met with representatives from Sullivan County on Tuesday and confirmed his identity, police said. Detectives learned he had lived in Sullivan County under the name Richard King since November of 2013.

His remains were taken to the Sullivan County coroner for an autopsy. No sign of foul play was found, police said. He was in his late 50s to early 60s, according to police.

“The Newtown Police Department sends its condolences to Robert Hoagland’s family and friends,” police said. “The family requests that their privacy be respected during this difficult time.”

The Newtown Police Department said it would not provide any additional comment out of respect for the family and due to the fact that there is no criminal aspect to this case.