Remains of chef who vanished after work 14 years ago are identified, NY cops say
Human remains found by a work crew in 2021 have been identified as a man who vanished after leaving his job at a sushi restaurant in Rochester, New York, fourteen years ago, according to authorities.
The remains are of Doh Soe, a Burmese refugee who lived in Rochester and worked at Wegmans Next Door Bar & Grill, according to a forensic analysis, New York State Police announced in an Oct. 1 news release.
His loved ones remember him “as a hardworking and happy young man who is deeply missed,” state police said. “They continue to seek answers and justice.”
Soe was 23-years-old when he was reported missing June 1, 2011, according to police. He was last seen leaving his workplace, where he worked as a chef, days earlier on May 29, 2011, WHAM reported.
Authorities are investigating Soe’s death as a homicide, Steuben County District Attorney Brooks Baker shared during an Oct. 1 news conference streamed by WHAM.
“Based upon the review of the skeleton, he wasn’t hit by a car,” Baker said. “This is not an accidental death situation.”
On Dec. 13, 2021, New York State Department of Transportation employees came across Soe’s remains in a culvert in Dansville, about a 55-mile drive south from Rochester, according to police.
Items belonging to Soe, including clothing, were also found and recovered, police said. The items are being analyzed by DNA technology that was not available in 2021.
The day of Soe’s disappearance, he bought a new phone at a mall in Greece, New York, according to police.
The phone, an LG Optimus S, has not been found, police said.
Soe was known as an important member of the LGBTQ community and Burmese community in Rochester, Baker said during the news conference.
New York State Police said anyone with tips on his disappearance can call 607-225-5400.
“Calls can be made anonymously, and no detail is too small,” authorities said.
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