March 05, 2024
Northfield Police/Facebook
Elliot Ganiel, 32, of Northfield, New Jersey, was reported missing on Saturday, March 2. His car was found with personal belongings inside at the Mullica River Canoe Landing in Batsto.
Multiple law enforcement agencies are searching the Mullica River in Wharton State Forest in an effort to find a 32-year-old man who was reported missing over the weekend.
Around 10:40 p.m. on Saturday night, police in Northfield, Atlantic County, were contacted by the family of Elliot Ganiel, who were concerned he had not been seen for three days.
New Jersey State Police told the family they had found Ganiel's car at the Mullica River Canoe Landing in Batsto, a village about 8 miles east of Hammonton in the state's south-central Pinelands. When police searched the car, they found personal items left behind, investigators said.
Since Ganiel's disappearance, New Jersey State Police and dive teams have searched the river by canoe and used drones to scour the area. K-9 units also have assisted in the search, which continued Tuesday.
Police did not say why Ganiel was at the river and whether he had gone there with anyone. Northfield is about a 35-minute drive to the canoe landing where Ganiel's car was found.
Ganiel is described as 5 feet, 4 inches tall and about 140 pounds with brown eyes and short brown hair.
Northfield police said anyone with information can call detectives at (609) 641-3122.
