Headless body that washed up on Queens beach may be missing Irish filmmaker, police sources say

NEW YORK — A headless, armless body that washed up on a Rockaway beach Friday may be the remains of an Irish filmmaker, Ross McDonnell, reported missing more than two weeks ago, police sources said Saturday.

The Emmy Award winner, who friends said loved the ocean and enjoyed “wild swimming,” or swimming outside in nature, disappeared on Nov. 4 after riding his bike to the Rockaways, a short distance from where the body washed ashore.

Detectives believe the deceased is McDonnell, but were waiting for the results of a DNA comparison to be sure, a police source with knowledge of the case said.