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Stanley K. Patz via AP
Etan Patz
Authorities have concluded their search of a Manhattan basement for the remains of Etan Patz, who vanished 33 years ago on his walk to the school bus stop.
No remains were found, and NBC New York has learned from a law enforcement official that field tests on a concrete slab that contained a "stain of interest" over the weekend were negative for blood.
Meanwhile, dozens of items, including strands of hair, a piece of paper and other possible bits of forensic evidence, were gathered and will be analyzed further at an FBI laboratory.
The Patz family was briefed Sunday on the investigation and what has been found at the site.
The search for remains of 6-year-old Patz began Thursday in the basement of a building on Prince Street in the SoHo area. The concrete floor was torn up and investigators sifted through the dirt and soil below for evidence.
NBC New York was first to report the activity in the SoHo building Thursday.
Everything that investigators have collected, including numerous swabs that will be tested for DNA evidence, is being sent to the FBI laboratory in Virginia.
Some bones were found, but they were determined to be non-human, and were discovered among Chinese food takeout containers, sources said.
Sources told NBC New York that the paper found in the debris is yellow, with handwriting on it, and a piece of tape that contains two or more hairs. Its significance was not clear, but one source said it was important enough to be collected and analyzed.
Sources close to the investigation into the disappearance of Etan Patz indicate that new evidence may have been uncovered 33 years after the 6-year-old vanished. NBC's Michelle Franzen reports.
At the time of Patz's disappearance, the 13-by-62 basement at 127B Prince St. was being used as a workshop by Othniel Miller, a handyman who was friendly with the Patz family.
Investigators collect hair, paper in search for Etan Patz, missing since 1979
Miller, now 75, has been interviewed by investigators several times over the years, but he recently made statements that raised their suspicions, according to law enforcement sources.
In a recent interview with investigators, he blurted out “What if the body was moved?” according to an official.
Sources also say they have evidence to suggest Patz had been in the basement before.
Miller hasn't been named a suspect, and his lawyer says he has nothing to do with the case.
Investigators have also recently questioned a second person, Jesse Snell, in connection with the re-examination of evidence. NBC New York has learned that on the morning Patz disappeared in 1979, Snell was observed at the building where police are searching now, and also worked with Miller. Investigators would not elaborate on why they met with Snell.
For more, visit NBCNewYork.com
One other man has remained a longtime possible suspect: Jose Ramos, a drifter and onetime boyfriend of Patz's baby sitter. In the early 1980s, he was arrested on theft charges, and had photos of other young, blond boys in his backpack. But there was no hard evidence linking Ramos to the crime.
He is in prison in Pennsylvania on a separate case.
More content from msnbc.com and NBC News:
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Guess the cops had nothing better to do...seems like they would have some actual reason to conduct this extensive a new search before they waste the taxpayers money and time. Based on the article, there apparently was little reason to go down this road. Tough on the family....no doubt they felt this would likely lead to new information....but, not so much. Trying to solve old, cold cases is a noble task....but it should be engaged in with some care, based on reliable, new information. This smacks of just a wild goose chase that went nowhere....
ah shaddup.
ummm.. how do you know what kind of information they have/had... You are reading an article on MSN, every article they write lacks information and facts..
I'm sure the family would love to hear that...besides, what is it you know that they don't? Then get off your disrespectful ass and help.
I was both surprised and sad when I read this. What a let down. When the story first broke last week, I was like "wow", I wonder what the break through was. Then you hear they're ripping up a basement floor. Seemed like a "sure thing". Then to find nothing tells me the PD may have jumped the gun. I really feel for the parents and family, who must feel like a HUGE SCAB was pulled from old wound.
I can't imagine what the family has gone through all these years. Not knowing is the worst. At least with a body you have some semblance of closure. You know where your loved one is.
For all you whining about the money spent, be thankful it's not YOUR child they are hunting for. While I am a firm believer in reduction in government spending, I can't imagine any money better spent than the search for a missing child, or his remains.
And just how much did this little Keystone cop comedy cost the taxpayers??? I know it's in the hundreds of thousands maybe even millions!!!! Why do we allow our money to be thrown at CLOWNS!!!!!???????
probably cost a little tax cheat troll like you nothing. don't you have some porn to watch?
@tron, I see what your thoughts are on the above posters(not much). I would like to know if you could tell what you think of the article.
You can always count on a Texan to make it about taxes or their own idea of freedom in a blustering windbag a la Foghorn Leghorn sort of a way.
Don't you think the family of this little boy deserves some closure? Ethan Patz would be 40 today if he is still alive, and it's doubtful that he is. You don't even live in New York do you, so they aren't "your tax dollars" anyway.
show a little more respect, tex.
texan, what if it were your child and you got insensitive comments like yours ? wouldn't like that would ya ?
Damnt... I knew someone was going to say something about Texans.
I support what the cops did, even though it has been a LONG time since he disappeared, if it were my child I would hope for something, any parent would probably still hold on to a thread and hope for anything. Screw what is cost in taxes, it's a missing child, doesn't matter if it's been 1 year or 40... I care and I do NOT about the tax crap. Only a heartless person could feel in time theres no hope and make a sad situation worse by making it about $$$. Not all Texans are @!$%#s like this @!$%# for brains " Texan for truth "
His family deserves any thing they can get, he was somebody's son, just because it has been a long time and possible that he'll never be found.. how heartless do you have to be to worry more about money ( that isn't even yours ) than to worry about family getting some kind of closure. Some people...SMH.
It's been 33 years. I feel badly for the family that they once again had their hopes of finding the child or his remains, elevated and then dashed.
I'm torn with stories like these. On one hand you want to catch the murderer, but on the other, you have to think about the family and how each time the investigation is reopened, it opens up raw wounds again and again.
I assure you, they would rather find their son or their child's killer. When something like this happens, you could care less how many times "it opens up raw wounds again and again"
I guess this writer didn't feel the need to mention that the "separate case" Ramos is in prison for is child molestation and the parent's of the Patz were awarded money in a civil suit against Ramos for the wrongful death of their child. In fact, one of the reasons the police are spending time on this case now is because Ramos is up for parole later this year.
Let's just hope he doesn't get out of jail.
I can't even begin to fathom the psychopathy necessary to murder a child. It goes completely against our hardwired instincts as human beings. I hope that peace will one day be brought to the child and his family.
Remember the parents who let their nine year old ride the subway by himself? Fair warning - don't let your child even walk to the school bus stop by himself/herself.
Many states have laws that require parents to supervise their child both to and from the school bus stop - and be with the child until actually on the bus - and - meet the child at the bus stop after school.
There have been enough cases like this in the news - that there is no excuse for anyone's child to be left alone long enough to be abducted. Many in this area now have fences around play areas for their children. This increased after strangers tried to abduct children from their front yards - with the parents sitting on the front porch - in plain view of the abductors.
Brick you gotta understand. It was different back then. I walked to my bus stop alone all the time. The neighborhoods looked out for each other. If someone saw someone with a kid and they didnt know, you could be damn sure EVERYONE would know about the person right down to the color of thier socks.
ps. this case happened before those laws. At the end of a generation of people that were used to seeing the good in life and this world
Every time I see the picture of this little boy, it just breaks my heart. I so wish justice could be done for this innocent little angel and his family.
I was walking to school and riding my bike up to a mile away from home at 7 years of age in 1960 , all the kids did, the only murder we ever had in our area was a mother who took her own child's life. Now, I would not let my 4 year old grandaughter out of my sight for even a second. We need to take some serious steps to stop pedophiles, the situation is getting worse all the time.