A 59 year old man's remains are found burned in his car In the summer of 2008, a grim discovery was made in a wooded area in East Kingston, New York, shattering the quiet life of Michael Kleiman, a 59-year-old White male. On the afternoon of July 25th, firefighters responded to a report of a vehicle fire off Route 32, near the former Hudson Cement Plant. There, they found a 2004 Nissan Frontier pickup truck engulfed in flames. Inside the scorched vehicle were the remains of a human body, later identified as Kleiman through DNA, a process that took two weeks due to the condition of the remains.
Investigators quickly determined that Kleiman had been murdered before the fire. An autopsy revealed that his body had been dismembered, with his head and hands removed before being placed inside his truck and set ablaze in an apparent attempt to destroy evidence. Police believe the murder occurred at a different location and that the killer or killers then drove his truck to the secluded access road to set the fire.
The last time anyone had seen Kleiman alive was the previous afternoon, July 24, 2008, at his home in the rural hamlet of Kerhonkson.
Kleiman was described by those who knew him as a shy but friendly man who led a quiet lifestyle. He worked as a nurse's aide at a facility for mentally ill children in Westchester County and divided his time between his home and his mother's house. His interests included collecting antiques, comic books, and Disney memorabilia, and he was known to frequent local swimming holes. In the course of their investigation, police explored various avenues, including the possibility of a hate crime, given that Kleiman was gay. However, no evidence has ever surfaced to support this theory.
Despite an extensive investigation that involved combing through the woods and swamps near the scene, setting up traffic checkpoints, and following up on hundreds of leads, the case remains unsolved. No suspects have ever been publicly identified, and no arrests have been made in connection with the brutal slaying. Investigators have appealed to the public for information, suggesting the perpetrator likely had knowledge of the local area to have chosen such a remote spot. They also believe it's possible that someone may have unknowingly provided the killer with transportation away from the scene on the afternoon of the fire. The murder of Michael Kleiman continues to be an active cold case, with a substantial reward offered for information that could lead to the arrest and conviction of those responsible.
