On Feb. 28, 48-year-old Israel Perez was found dead in the basement of a house he was staying in; police are ruling it a suicide with the victim having apparently hung himself. 

The body was uncovered at 10:32 a.m. last Sunday by resident George Mickatavage. As a favor, he had been allowing Perez to stay at his 174 Soundview Ave. property, according to Police Lt. Joseph Verille.

Mickatavage had apparently gone to check on his property when he discovered Perez in the basement of his house. Perez, an employee of Carpet Trends, located at 5 Smith St., supposedly had not been heard from in several days and was last seen at the carpet store about a week prior to the incident, the lieutenant said. Another resident also told police she saw Perez on Thursday, Feb. 25. No further details are known at this time pending futher investigation.

In a tragic turn of events this marks the third suicide already this year in Rye.

– Reporting by CHRISTIAN FALCONE