Probe into cop-kayaker's death continues

Investigators Sunday continued to try to determine what caused the death of NYPD officer and Smithtown resident Patrick Luca, whose body was pulled from Smithtown Bay on Saturday.

Luca, 41, a 21-year-veteran of the force, and his son Caden, 5, had launched an inflatable kayak Friday in the Nissequogue River. What happened next remains unclear, Suffolk police and U.S. Coast Guard officials said. Caden, who was wearing a life vest, was rescued in the water by passing boaters more than an hour later.

Luca's funeral arrangements won't be announced until the Suffolk medical examiner concludes an autopsy, said New York Police Department spokesman James Duffy.

A spokeswoman for the medical examiner's office declined to comment Sunday.

Suffolk police department's homicide squad has taken the lead in investigating the case, a police spokesman said. The NYPD, which assisted in finding Luca's body, is no longer on the case, an NYPD spokesman said.

Friday's weather and wind were "calm," but could still have played a role in causing an accident that lead to Luca's death, said Coast Guard Petty Officer Erik Swanson.

Coast Guard and Suffolk police officials could not confirm a report that Luca's kayak may have flipped in the wake of a passing boat.

The Coast Guard is assisting Suffolk police, Swanson said.

"It was a beautiful day, but [weather] could have still played a part in it," Swanson said.

Luca's wife and mother could not be reached for comment Sunday. Relatives have declined to comment on the case.

Luca and Caden launched their kayak at a boat ramp near the end of Old Dock Road in Kings Park about 1:30 p.m. on Friday. Boaters found Caden floating in the water in Smithtown Bay about 75 minutes later, police said.

Caden was not injured and is in the care of his mother, police said. The inflatable kayak was later recovered, police said.

A recreational boater found Patrick Luca's body about 11:30 a.m. Saturday, 11/4 miles from where the kayak was discovered.