Community mourns West Harrison man after missing person search ends in tragedy
November 30, 2023 at 12:25 a.m.
Traditionally, the Wednesday before Thanksgiving is characterized by festivity, as folks coming home for the holidays go out to rejoice in reconnection.
This year, however, that was not the case. A night meant to embrace joy and community ultimately ended in heartbreak and tragedy.
A vigil was held on Monday, Nov. 27, at 7 p.m. at the marina behind Colony Grill to honor the memory of Jan Carlo Yepes.
The body of the 22-year-old was found in the Byram River on Sunday, Nov. 26, concluding a three-day search conducted by the Port Chester Police Department. According to Police Captain Charles Nielsen, Yepes was reported missing by his family and friends on Friday, Nov. 24.
He was last seen by his friends on Wednesday, Nov. 22, as he was leaving McShane’s Bar & Restaurant at 123 N. Main St. at approximately 3:30 a.m. Nielsen said that although his family did not see him the next day, they believed he had gone to work at the Whole Foods in Port Chester. However, once he did not return home or contact anyone after his shift was supposed to have ended, they reported him missing.
Police were able to create a 2-mile search radius by pinging Yepes’ cell phone. They combed the area with the help of the New Rochelle Police Department dive team and Greenwich police boat with sonar to scour the bottom of the river. Initially, the boat made two complete passes of the river but was unable to find anything.
Nielsen said the first breakthrough came on Saturday because of Gloria Perafan, the mother of the West Harrison man.
“She was able to use Find My iPhone, and it pinpointed the inlet between Costco and the Colony Grill,” he said. Once the tide receded, officers located Yepes’ phone in the mud.
In the meantime, detectives were able to procure security footage that showed Yepes walking in the area of the bar towards the marina. Nielsen said there was a large local effort to search for him.
“The community really turned out,” he said. “People from Harrison came to spread the word and put up flyers. It was a big community effort.”
Friends of Jan Carlo Yepes have set up a GoFundMe page to help his family pay for funeral expenses. As of the time of this writing, the goal of $15,000 had been surpassed by over $3,000.By David Tapia
One such person was Alphonse Lustrino, a friend of Yepes’. “We’ve been putting up missing posters signs [and] working with the police ever since Friday,” Lustrino told News 12.
On Sunday, officers from both the Port Chester and Rye police departments conducted a thorough search of the docks along Abendroth Avenue.
“Tides made it difficult to search,” Nielsen said. “But we performed a slower search of the area. Any anomaly was checked.” The search that afternoon was when officials recovered his body under the docks.
The next day, the Yepes family and the Village of Port Chester organized a vigil for him. There, his family, friends, coworkers and other members of the Port Chester, Rye Brook and Harrison communities were able to honor and remember the young man.
A Port Chester Fire Department engine was set up in the marina parking lot, providing light for the dozens of people who wished to show support for the Yepes family. Some brought their own candles, while others were given flames by Yepes’ friends. Some brought flowers, others coffee and tea in an effort to stay warm on the chilly evening. Many cried, or shared tearful smiles as they remembered their loved one lost too young.
“From day one, the Village of Port Chester has been present and I told his family that they would have the support of the Village,” Mayor Luis Marino said at the start of the vigil. He spoke in Spanish, while Village Trustee Juliana Alzate translated his words into English for those who needed it.
“I’d like to recognize all the volunteers and police who participated in the search,” Marino said. “We have to continue to support each other during difficult times like this.”
Deacon Jorge Montealegre, of the Church of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, the Elmsford-based house of worship the Yepes family have been longtime parishioners of, led the vigil in prayers.
“Knowing them, being close to them, it’s very hard,” he said. “They need our help and support from all of us.”
Several people spoke at the vigil, including two of his coworkers at Whole Foods. One said: “I knew that my shift would be OK if he was there.”
Yepes’ brother, Giovanyy Duque, told News 12 the vigil was held to remember the good times. “He was an outgoing guy, he loved to smile,” he said. “Everywhere he went, he tried to have a good time.”
The amount of support at the vigil touched even those who did not know him.
“Let’s not let this be his last memory,” Port Chester Trustee Phil Dorazio said. “We have to remember all the good things. The smiles, the hugs, the outpouring of love that’s here. Not this place, but the good things we had with our friend, our relative.”
While the details for Yepes’ funeral service hadn’t been arranged as of this newspaper’s deadline on Wednesday, Nov. 29, a GoFundMe page has been set up to help the family alleviate the cost. With a goal of $15,000, the target had been surpassed within days, reaching nearly $19,000 as of Wednesday night.
If anyone would like to donate, visit gofund.me/80654971.
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