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The body of an aspiring rapper was discovered wedged inside a school chimney in Glendale, New York, prompting a major investigation into how he died and ended up there.
Matthew Collado, 29, who performed under the name A.K Nash, disappeared from his home in May.
Collado had been uncontactable since May 9, the day before Mother’s Day, when he told his mother he would spend the holiday with her at his grandmother’s nursing home.
When he failed to show up, his family reported him missing, which prompted police to launch an investigation.
However, almost two months later, on June 30, his remains were found after an exterminator was called to investigate reports of a foul smell coming from the chimney at a school, according to authorities.
Students at the school had reportedly noticed a “rancid smell” for a number of weeks before the disturbing discovery. It was unclear how long the body had been stuck inside the chimney.
There was initial speculation that the remains might not be Collado’s, but on July 29 the Medical Examiner’s office contacted his mother, Sophia Wood, to confirm that dental records proved it was her son.
A spokeswoman for the city medical examiner’s office said on September 17 that the cause and manner of Collado’s death are both “pending further study.”
Wood reportedly told the Daily News she had no idea how her son died or how he ended up inside the chimney, emphasizing that he was “afraid of heights.”
“There’s a void in my gut. I walk around in a daze. I still haven’t believed it yet,” she revealed.
She also added that the scenario did not fit who her son was: “My son was afraid of heights so him climbing up there? That is not my son.
“He hates fire. He hates smoke. A chimney? It doesn’t jive with my son and who he was.”
Describing him as “an amazing son” and “mommy’s little boy,” Wood recounted his frequent calls and visits: “He’s always, ‘Hi mom. I love you mom’ … He used to go visit my mom all the time in the nursing home.”
The investigation into Collado's inexplicable death remains ongoing, with authorities working to ascertain how he ended up in the chimney, what caused his death, and whether there is something more sinister involved.
