Found Deceased CT - Anton Sovetov, 44, Yale Univ employee, New Haven, 4 Feb 2022

[WingsOverTX]

Where is Anton? It’s been 2 months and radio silence. I’m feeling shades of Jeremiah Foco with this case, both men seemingly just disappeared.

It would help a lot to have a few clues. What do we have to go on right now? The only thing confirmed is the grocery store stop.

The video retracing his assumed path home from there is fantastic but then silence except for upping the reward/Yale news releases?

Hard to come up with viable theories and potential search areas without LE confirmation that he arrived home.

It was the weekend. What was his last communication with friends and by what means?

Not having family in the U.S. to push LE hard publicly is a problem, IMO. There is a great community here at WS that could be helpful at narrowing the search & investigating plausible scenarios.

Very sad that he's been missing so long without more credible details released to help solve this.

MOO

 

[dotr]

April 1, 2022 rbbm.
Police offer $10,000 reward for information on missing Yale employee | YaleNews
"Yale is offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to the whereabouts of Anton Sovetov, a university employee who was last seen by colleagues nearly two months ago.

Anyone with information is urged to call a newly established tip line at 866-888-8644. Eligibility for the reward will be determined based upon the information provided.

“Mr. Sovetov is a beloved member of Yale’s staff,” said Yale Police Chief Ronnell Higgins. “We are doing everything in our power to find him.”

Sovetov, 44, a graphic designer in the Yale Office of Public Affairs & Communications, was last in touch with university colleagues on Friday, Feb. 4. He was seen the following day on a video camera leaving the Elm City Market on Chapel Street and walking toward his nearby apartment shortly before 6 p.m. Police were notified that he was missing on Feb. 9.

This case remains a priority and Yale officers have been assisted by the New Haven Police Department Investigative Services Unit, along with other state and local authorities.

Police entered Sovetov as a missing person in national law enforcement databases, the Connecticut Online Law Enforcement Communication Teleprocessing System, and the National Crime Information Center. This information is electronically communicated throughout the country. If a local, state, or federal law enforcement agency encounters Sovetov, and a check is conducted, the agency would be alerted that he is a missing person.

Sovetov is 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighs about 200 pounds. He has short brown hair and blue eyes and a mustache and beard. He is a 2016 graduate of the Yale School of Art and joined the university staff in 2017.

Higgins urged those affected by Sovetov’s disappearance to seek counseling support services available to the university community.

 

[WingsOverTX]

April 1, 2022 rbbm.
Police offer $10,000 reward for information on missing Yale employee | YaleNews
"Yale is offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to the whereabouts of Anton Sovetov, a university employee who was last seen by colleagues nearly two months ago.

Anyone with information is urged to call a newly established tip line at 866-888-8644. Eligibility for the reward will be determined based upon the information provided.

“Mr. Sovetov is a beloved member of Yale’s staff,” said Yale Police Chief Ronnell Higgins. “We are doing everything in our power to find him.”

Sovetov, 44, a graphic designer in the Yale Office of Public Affairs & Communications, was last in touch with university colleagues on Friday, Feb. 4. He was seen the following day on a video camera leaving the Elm City Market on Chapel Street and walking toward his nearby apartment shortly before 6 p.m. Police were notified that he was missing on Feb. 9.

This case remains a priority and Yale officers have been assisted by the New Haven Police Department Investigative Services Unit, along with other state and local authorities.

Police entered Sovetov as a missing person in national law enforcement databases, the Connecticut Online Law Enforcement Communication Teleprocessing System, and the National Crime Information Center. This information is electronically communicated throughout the country. If a local, state, or federal law enforcement agency encounters Sovetov, and a check is conducted, the agency would be alerted that he is a missing person.

Sovetov is 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighs about 200 pounds. He has short brown hair and blue eyes and a mustache and beard. He is a 2016 graduate of the Yale School of Art and joined the university staff in 2017.

Higgins urged those affected by Sovetov’s disappearance to seek counseling support services available to the university community.

BBM quote from above:
“Mr. Sovetov is a beloved member of Yale’s staff,” said Yale Police Chief Ronnell Higgins. “We are doing everything in our power to find him.”

This is a closely held investigation from all appearances. Why? Higgins could hold a press conference to give more detail about what is known about his last activities.

He was single. He didn't have a car. He liked to stay in on winter weekends and play a card/video game. No family in U.S. apparently.

Unless a friend decides to push hard for more help from the public, nothing is going to happen. It's a cold case & has been almost from the start as far as clues released.

It takes more, a lot more! Who is grieving that Anton is missing? We need to hear from you!

MOO

 

[dotr]

Would it be out of the realm of possibility for AS's (a Russian national) disappearance to be connected in some way, to the (at that time, impending) war in Ukraine? speculation, imo.

 

[Skigirl]

This case is a head-scratcher. I used to live in New Haven, and I know the area pretty well.

What I've read indicates that he doesn't have a car and that if he couldn't bicycle someplace, he generally didn't go unless he went with a friend who had a car. That would rule out quite a few hiking places, if he did go hiking. It would still leave East Rock and West Rock as possibilities; both are places I hiked when I didn't go further away by car.

I would love to know if he made it back to his apartment after shopping on Feb. 5th. The apartment building most likely has security and it must be known whether he got home and when he left. What happened to the groceries that he bought on the 5th, were they put away?

It looks from his SM that he had a group of friends that he travelled and did other activities with, so there are people in this country who miss him. I can only suppose that LE has asked them not to say what they know.

My gut says that foul play was involved and that maybe he was picked up by someone he knew and driven in a car someplace. I wonder if his shopping trip was for the purpose of buying something to cook that night for a friend.

That a shame that it took so long for him to be reported missing.

 

[WingsOverTX]

This case is a head-scratcher. I used to live in New Haven, and I know the area pretty well.

What I've read indicates that he doesn't have a car and that if he couldn't bicycle someplace, he generally didn't go unless he went with a friend who had a car. That would rule out quite a few hiking places, if he did go hiking. It would still leave East Rock and West Rock as possibilities; both are places I hiked when I didn't go further away by car.

I would love to know if he made it back to his apartment after shopping on Feb. 5th. The apartment building most likely has security and it must be known whether he got home and when he left. What happened to the groceries that he bought on the 5th, were they put away?

It looks from his SM that he had a group of friends that he travelled and did other activities with, so there are people in this country who miss him. I can only suppose that LE has asked them not to say what they know.

My gut says that foul play was involved and that maybe he was picked up by someone he knew and driven in a car someplace. I wonder if his shopping trip was for the purpose of buying something to cook that night for a friend.

That a shame that it took so long for him to be reported missing.

I wonder what his friends' theories are?

So little info is in the public domain. They are offering a reward, which leads me to wonder if they have any evidence at all about what happened the night/weekend he disappeared.

Usually LE will offer some info to help jog people's memories & release video footage or other potential "clues."

If this is suspected foul play, they should say so, IMO. Phone records have surely been checked. Who did he talk to or text before he was reported missing?

It's odd that the video retracing his steps was followed basically by silence other than the reward offer.

I hope his friends find this page to encourage more help & ideas & momentum. Surely it's needed?!

JMHO

 

[Ght2435]

As a person with knowledge of this case, I can say that his friends, coworkers, and family are extremely worried. There are signs posted all around New Haven asking for help.

Yale has been extremely tight-lipped about the case. He was reported missing on February 8 and the police did not issue a public announcement for nearly two weeks. It has been a source of intense frustration for those who care about him.

From what people close to the case have been told (and full disclosure I say this with only second degree knowledge of the conversation with the Yale Police), his groceries were out on the counter when the police went into the apartment. Bike, phone, and winter jacket were all there in the apartment (it was February, and freezing). His TV was on. There was no sign of a struggle. A search of the building (with a canine unit) revealed nothing.

No information has been provided about cameras in the area, although the Yale Daily News reported that some business owners nearby said that the police had not questioned them or asked for footage.

That’s all I know. Being connected to Yale means that they have a lot of control over the messaging around this. But please know that his community is desperately concerned.

 

[dotr]

Welcome to Ws @ Ght2435, thank you for chiming in!
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Otherwise, if you prefer, simply add a ''imo'' (In my opinion) or ''speculation'' or something similar to a post.

 

[Laughing]

Welcome to Ws @ Ght2435, thank you for chiming in!
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Otherwise, if you prefer, simply add a ''imo'' (In my opinion) or ''speculation'' or something similar to a post.

Click here:

Verification Process for Professional or Insider Posters

Thanks!

 

[Skigirl]

As a person with knowledge of this case, I can say that his friends, coworkers, and family are extremely worried. There are signs posted all around New Haven asking for help.

Yale has been extremely tight-lipped about the case. He was reported missing on February 8 and the police did not issue a public announcement for nearly two weeks. It has been a source of intense frustration for those who care about him.

From what people close to the case have been told (and full disclosure I say this with only second degree knowledge of the conversation with the Yale Police), his groceries were out on the counter when the police went into the apartment. Bike, phone, and winter jacket were all there in the apartment (it was February, and freezing). His TV was on. There was no sign of a struggle. A search of the building (with a canine unit) revealed nothing.

No information has been provided about cameras in the area, although the Yale Daily News reported that some business owners nearby said that the police had not questioned them or asked for footage.

That’s all I know. Being connected to Yale means that they have a lot of control over the messaging around this. But please know that his community is desperately concerned.

Welcome to Websleuths! I'm really glad that you're here and thank you for all of that information. Interesting that his groceries were on the counter; I don't know why I suspected that that they weren't put away, but I did suspect that -- maybe because of the attention that was being paid to the question of whether there's anyone of interest in the video of him shopping. It sounds like we can all stop thinking about places where he might have gone hiking.

I hope that the police are being tight-lipped because they think they know what happened and are just quietly collecting evidence. It almost seems like he could be hidden in the building someplace, like Annie Le was. I guess the building doesn't have cameras? That's really surprising to me given how inexpensive they've gotten.

How strange that there was no public announcement for such a long period of time.

 

[Unsolved]

JMO MOO it seems like every single case I've read about here when there are groceries not put away there's someone else involved.

 

[CastlesBurning]

https://www.wtnh.com/news/missing-in-connecticut/

 

[dotr]

Missing in Connecticut

Handy link, thank you!

Missing Person Case (namus.gov)
Missing Person / NamUs #MP90502Anton Sovetov, Male, White / Caucasian
Date of Last ContactFebruary 5, 2022
Missing FromNew Haven, Connecticut
Missing Age44 Years
Current Age44 Years

First NameAnton
Middle Name--
Last NameSovetov
Nickname/Alias--

SexMale
Height6' 2" (74 Inches)
Weight200 lbs
Race / EthnicityWhite / Caucasian

Circumstances
Date of Last ContactFebruary 5, 2022
NamUs Case CreatedApril 13, 2022
Last Known Location Map
LocationNew Haven, Connecticut 06510
CountyNew Haven County
Missing From Tribal LandNo
Primary Residence on Tribal LandNo
Circumstances of DisappearanceOn 02-09-22 at 1400 hours, Yale University police received a report of a missing person, after Yale University Graphic Designer Anton Sovetov, had not reported to work. He was last seen on surveillance video on 2/5/22 in a New Haven grocery store
Physical Description
Hair ColorBrown
Head Hair DescriptionReceding
Body Hair Description--
Facial Hair Descriptionbeard and mustache
Left Eye ColorBlue
Right Eye ColorBlue''

 

[TootsieFootsie]

Body of missing Yale employee found in Suffolk County, N.Y.

The body of Anton Sovetov, a Yale employee who had been the subject of a missing person’s investigation since early February, was found on the Long Island, New York shoreline on Saturday, April 30.

The cause of death is under investigation by the Suffolk County Medical Examiner’s Office on Long Island. The Yale and New Haven police departments are assisting Suffolk County police in the continuing investigation of Sovetov’s disappearance.

 

[WingsOverTX]

Body of missing Yale employee found in Suffolk County, N.Y.

The body of Anton Sovetov, a Yale employee who had been the subject of a missing person’s investigation since early February, was found on the Long Island, New York shoreline on Saturday, April 30.

The cause of death is under investigation by the Suffolk County Medical Examiner’s Office on Long Island. The Yale and New Haven police departments are assisting Suffolk County police in the continuing investigation of Sovetov’s disappearance.

How sad. Such terrible news. I hope answers can be found.

Condolences to his family and friends.
RIP, Anton.

 

[WingsOverTX]

Obituary/tribute link below. Some quotes:

A bear of a man, always bearded, Sovetov was fastidiously tidy and orderly, and deeply invested in his work, colleagues said. He carefully queued the books on his desk, with a designated spot for borrowed books.

ALSO:
Sovetov discovered art as a child in St. Petersburg, his hometown. He taught himself drawing and calligraphy, and from an early age copied illustrations from J.R.R. Tolkien’s “Lord of the Rings” books for himself and friends, he told Gambell.

Also a serious flautist at an early age, Sovetov attended a music-focused primary school, followed by an English-language high school. He briefly studied law but found it didn’t suit him and dropped out of university. He learned computer-based illustration and, for about a decade, worked for a series of commercial printing and graphic design firms. He eventually returned to school, enrolling in the Royal Academy of Art in The Hague, and briefly worked there before enrolling at Yale.

“My heart breaks for the loss of Anton,” said Yale Vice President for Communications Nate Nickerson, who oversees the Office of Public Affairs & Communications, of which the University Printer’s office is part. “He was a graphic designer of singular vision: his work for Yale was at turns playful, arresting, somber, and joyous — he had the rare talent of giving emotional power to nearly everything he touched.

AND:
Sovetov relished the subtleties and playfulness of language, delighting in the existence in English of both “homebody” and “homeboy,” for instance. Among his closest colleagues, he let fly colorful comments, Gambell said, “many of them not quotable.”

Within a serious and intense personality, Sovetov nourished a sense of humor about himself. To Gambell he once declared, “John, I am a misanthrope.” (To which Gambell replied, “Well, if so, you’re the nicest one I’ve ever met.”)

Anton Sovetov, graphic designer, dies at 44

 

[WingsOverTX]

As a person with knowledge of this case, I can say that his friends, coworkers, and family are extremely worried. There are signs posted all around New Haven asking for help.

Yale has been extremely tight-lipped about the case. He was reported missing on February 8 and the police did not issue a public announcement for nearly two weeks. It has been a source of intense frustration for those who care about him.

From what people close to the case have been told (and full disclosure I say this with only second degree knowledge of the conversation with the Yale Police), his groceries were out on the counter when the police went into the apartment. Bike, phone, and winter jacket were all there in the apartment (it was February, and freezing). His TV was on. There was no sign of a struggle. A search of the building (with a canine unit) revealed nothing.

No information has been provided about cameras in the area, although the Yale Daily News reported that some business owners nearby said that the police had not questioned them or asked for footage.

That’s all I know. Being connected to Yale means that they have a lot of control over the messaging around this. But please know that his community is desperately concerned.

My deepest condolences on the loss of your friend!

 

[annpats]

RIP Anton.


Do you think it's possible his death was suicide?

Or something more suspicious?

 

[WingsOverTX]

RIP Anton.


Do you think it's possible his death was suicide?

Or something more suspicious?

They found his TV on, bike inside and groceries recently purchased on the counter. And his coat was there, too.

I would think he stepped outside of his apartment to come to someone's aid inside the building and ended up a victim of foul play.

He seemed to love his job, the outdoors & to have a close circle of friends. Someone said he had applied for a green card.

But who knows?

Very sad.

 

[annpats]

They found his TV on, bike inside and groceries recently purchased on the counter. And his coat was there, too.
I would think he stepped outside of his apartment to come to someone's aid inside the building and ended up a victim of foul play. But who knows?

Hopefully police will know. Or at least try to investigate!

I did read in an article where his friends were talking about him, that Anton described himself as a 'misanthrope' and that he could be serious and intense.

I just wondered if he was prone to depression or despondent thought?

People who feel like that, well, the moment can strike at anytime and people can commit suicide even after just getting home from the shops. (We had a case like that in the UK in December.)

But then again, how did he get from New Haven, CT to Long Island, NY if he only had a bicycle, and the bicycle was at home. Hmmm.

I wonder where his wallet and phone were? At home too or not?

If it is suicide, I will understand Anton's death more. Because if it is foul play, it makes no sense why someone would want this lovely man dead.

Oh. Why does the world have to be like this?!