ROSCOE  — For almost two weeks, Moses Baptiste, who lives on Church Avenue in Roscoe, has been missing. 

Baptiste, a 6’3” African American man of about 250 pounds, is lovingly known as “the bottle and can guy” in Roscoe and Livingston Manor. He was last seen helping workers around the hamlet, according to his former landlord Eddie Doran.

“[Once I heard of his disappearance] I tried to find everybody and call everyone I knew,” explained Doran.

According to Public Information Officer and Trooper Steven Nevel, the case is an open investigation and is still ongoing. New York State Troopers have utilized dogs in searches conducted on September 18, 19, and 20. Further information is not available to the public at this time.

“We are doing interviews and following leads,” Nevel told the Democrat.

Baptiste is known to carefully secure everything, thus it was strange that both the door and the place where he kept his bottles and cans were found to be unlocked when police were summoned to his flat at that time, according to Doran. 

“He talks in a quiet whisper despite his massive stature,” stated Doran. “He speaks Spanish fluently and his mother is from Honduras.” 

More than 50 locals have been dropping off bottles and cans for him to pick up on a regular basis for more than ten years. This established for the community a de facto recycling collecting hub. At eight or ten cents per, Baptiste would then phone the corporations to come pick up a horse trailer’s load of cans and bottles. 

When Baptiste’s car remained parked and neither he nor his possessions appeared to be disturbed, Jesse Caskey, a neighbor nearby, became concerned, Doran said. 

According to Doran, State Troopers have since examined the flat and the building around it. In the last few days, they have also conducted a more extensive investigation, going into Baptiste’s apartment, pinging his phone, and watching video recordings to look for any odd activity.

Baptiste’s brother in Pennsylvania and sister in Queens were contacted by Doran.

Anyone with any further information can call the state Police barracks in Middletown at 845-344-5300 and reference RMS NY 2400-677-386.