SUNY Cortland police and Cortland County sheriff's officers found the body of a professor missing since Monday in a wooded area off Route 281 in Cortlandville, the Cortland County Sheriff's Office reported Wednesday morning.
Muteb Alqahtani, 40, of Cortlandville was seen about 9:40 a.m. Monday near Tompkins Street in Cortland, and another tip Tuesday evening suggested he was seen about 11:11 a.m. that day near Route 281 in Cortlandville, police said.
SUNY Cortland police walked the wooded area and found a dead man, later identified as Alqahtani.
Investigators do not expect foul play, police said, but the investigation continues.
Anyone with information can call sheriff's Lt. Garry Williams at 607-758-5583.
Alqahtani was an associate professor in SUNY Cortland's childhood and early childhood education department.
"Dr. Alqahtani was a well-respected faculty member and beloved colleague in our childhood/early childhood education department," college President Erik Bitterbaum said in a note to the campus. "He was passionate about mathematics education for children and he was involved in several initiatives related to diversity, equity and inclusion on campus. Dr. Alqahtani also participated in SUNY Cortland's Professional Development School program with Appleby Elementary School in Marathon, working to integrate technology and mathematics into the curriculum using drones and robots."
Bitterbaum pointed students, faculty and staff to a number of support resources:
-- Students may contact the counseling center.
-- Employees can access resources through the Employee Assistance Program.
-- A list of crisis resources can be found on the Counseling Center webpage.
-- Other community resources include the Cortland County Mental Health Department and Family Counseling Services.
Assisting with the investigation is the state police, New York State University Police at Cortland, Cortland City Police Department, Broome County Sheriff’s Office, The Cortland County Coroner’s Office and TLC Emergency Medical Services ambulance.
