MORRIS COUNTY — Acting Morris County Prosecutor Robert J. Carroll, Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Chief of Detectives Christoph Kimker, and Madison Police Acting Chief John R. Miscia announce that the body of Ajay Sah has been found.
Sah, a 22-year-old male from the Borough of Madison, was reported missing on January 22, 2021. Ajay Sah is a foreign exchange student from Nepal and was attending Drew University in the Borough of Madison.
Last seen on campus at Drew University on January 19, 2021, an investigation confirmed Sah traveled by NJ Transit train to New York Penn Station. Surveillance footage observed an individual believed to be Sah in New York City on the Brooklyn Bridge at approximately 5:00 a.m. on January 20, 2021.
Sah was seen traveling alone and carrying a backpack. Despite the relentless efforts of multiple law enforcement agencies, Sah’s disappearance has remained a mystery until additional evidence was discovered.
First, Sah’s backpack was discovered by a citizen on a beach in Sea Bright, New Jersey, and its contents were turned over to authorities in late April. Next, an unidentified body was discovered in Anchorage Channel in Brooklyn on March 9.
Initially unable to confirm identification, the City of New York Police Department notified the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Missing Persons Unit on April 25.
After detectives conferred, the unidentified body was later confirmed to be Sah by the Office of Chief Medical Examiner of the City of New York through the use of X-ray analysis.
The final death certificate is pending. Acting Prosecutor Carroll indicated the University has fully cooperated in the investigation and expressed his appreciation for their assistance, including their establishment of counseling and grief services for friends of Mr. Sah and available to the campus and surrounding community.
Acting Prosecutor Carroll said, “The Morris County Prosecutor’s Office extends its condolences to the Sah family for their loss. The circumstances of this disappearance were challenging, however, were investigated thoroughly by the MCPO, Madison Police Department and its law enforcement partners. We appreciate all of the hard work put into tracing Mr. Sah’s movements.
