NY Political Candidate Has Been Missing for a Week

A Democratic candidate for the Nassau County Legislature in New York has been missing for nearly a week, with reports indicating he may have gone swimming off Long Island. Petros Krommidas, 29, was last seen around 9pm on April 23 at the home he shares with his parents in the Long Island hamlet of Baldwin. Family members say he drove to the area of Long Beach to exercise as usual around 10:30pm and may have gone for a swim, as he was training for a triathlon, per the New York Post. He failed to return home and was reported missing the following day.

Police found Krommidas' clothing, towel, and phone on the beach, but no sign of the man himself, per WABC. They say foul play isn't suspected. "We are heartbroken over the disappearance," Nassau County and New York State Democratic Party Chair Jay Jacobs said Monday, describing Krommidas as "a bright, driven young man" who is "well respected by the community and represents the very best of our next generation of leaders," per Newsday. The Columbia University graduate is challenging Republican incumbent Patrick Mullaney in the Nassau County Legislature's 4th District.

He's described as 6'2", 230 pounds, with brown hair and eyes. He was last seen wearing a camouflage sweatshirt and gray sweatpants; it's unclear if that was the clothing recovered from the beach. Family say it's "completely out of character" for Krommidas to be out of touch so long and are urging the public to help search for him in the areas between Long Beach, Lido Beach, and Jacob Riis Park, "particularly during times of high tide," per a Monday statement. It notes Krommidas has "always been in great shape" and was "not a stranger to cold water training." (More missing person stories.)