Missing student’s body found in Onondaga Creek

Missing student's body found in creek

Syracuse University offers condolences to friends and family of systems and information science senior Allan Gonzalez.
Published: January 30, 2020
Syracuse Police are asking for the public's help in locating SU student Allan Gonzalez

Syracuse Police believe a body recovered Thursday from Onondaga Creek was Syracuse University senior Allan Gonzalez who has been missing since Jan. 19 and was reportedly seen on surveillance footage around 3 a.m. falling into the creek.

A New York State Police dive team located a body near where Onondaga Creek passes under an Interstate 690 bridge around 11 a.m. Thursday. The dive team utilized side-scan sonar technology, according to Syracuse Police.

The College of Engineering and Computer Science senior was reported missing by his roommate on Jan. 21. After word of his disappearance spread on social media, police received a tip from a woman who believed she had an interaction with Gonzalez at Benjamin’s on Franklin in Armory Square at around midnight on Jan. 18.

Gonzalez disappearance launched a multi-agency search this week. According to a GoFundMe set up to assist the Gonzalez family, his family had organized a search party to start looking for the body on Friday.

“The family is pouring all of their financial resources into traveling between states and organizing resources to help bring them any type of closure,” according to the GoFundMe started by Dann Brake.

Syracuse Police would not verify the body found was Gonzalez and was waiting until the Onondaga County Medical Examiner’s Office issued its report. Although police have not formally confirmed the information, Syracuse University Dean of Students Marianne Thomson sent a campus-wide email informing the community that Gonzalez was found deceased.

“I join Chancellor Syverud and our entire Orange family in extending deepest sympathies and condolences to Allan’s family, friends, loved ones and all who knew him during this difficult time” Thomson said in the email.

Gonzalez was on track to graduate from the College of Engineering this May. According to the GoFundMe page he was also a recruited lacrosse player and a passionate musician who played guitar, piano and saxophone.