Cops: Man found dead in woods near Stony Brook hospital

A man who went to Stony Brook University Medical Center for medical treatment last week was found dead Wednesday in a wooded area a short distance from the hospital, police said.

Someone walking on the north side of Nicolls Road in Stony Brook about 1:50 p.m. discovered the corpse of a man tentatively identified as John Heiberger, 46, of 46 Erin Lane, East Setauket, police said.

Heiberger went to the hospital emergency room Friday for medical treatment of an undisclosed nature, Suffolk police said, but disappeared some time later from the emergency room's triage area. Detectives said his disappearance was reported by the hospital to university police, who then contacted Suffolk police.

Homicide detectives said there is no apparent cause of death. The body was transported to the medical examiner's office for a postmortem examination to determine the cause and manner of death.

It was not clear whether the medical condition that brought Heiberger to the hospital could have contributed to his death, nor the circumstances under which he left the medical facility.

Lauren Sheprow, a hospital spokeswoman, declined to comment on the specifics regarding Heiberger's health, citing patient confidentiality laws that prohibit the hospital from discussing those matters.

Sheprow would only say, "In general, there are no laws that require patients to stay in the emergency room."

Detectives asked that anyone with information call the Homicide Squad at 631-852-6392 or Crime Stoppers at 800-220-TIPS.