On December 26, 2020, 21-year-old Nathanael Rodriguez of Bay Shore, New York, was shot five times in the head and neck while seated in the passenger seat of a Mercedes Benz. The driver, 24-year-old Peter Pendzinski of Shirley, then drove Rodriguez’s body to his own property, moved it to the backyard, doused it with gasoline and set it on fire. A passerby reported heavy smoke, and officers arriving on the scene found Pendzinski shoveling leaves onto the flames and subsequently arrested him after entering the home.

Investigators recovered a saw, pliers and blood-soaked floor mats in the driveway, and DNA testing tied some of that blood to Rodriguez. The passenger window of the Mercedes was damaged by gunfire, and officers found a Smith & Wesson handgun and a can of gasoline in a detached garage. Pendzinski was charged with second-degree murder and two counts of criminal possession of a weapon; he pleaded guilty and admitted shooting Rodriguez and attempting to burn the body.

Does anyone have information about Nathanael’s last known movements or who else might have been connected to him that night?