MONTICELLO – The homicide death of 61-year old Swan Lake resident Israel Zolchonock in 2021 is still unsolved, but Sullivan County District Attorney Brian Conaty took a meaningful step last week when he met with Israel’s son, Marc Zolchonock. 

Israel lost his life on the night of May 19, 2021, after an altercation with partygoers at 34 Stanton Corner Rd in Swan Lake, according to published reports. With no arrests made after five long years of waiting, Marc refuses to give up fighting for justice.

Marc, who had expressed frustration with police in previous news interviews, said he didn’t know what to expect before meeting with the District Attorney on Monday, April 13. After speaking with Conaty, Zolchonock said his perception of law enforcement’s investment in solving the case had changed.

“My impression is that they are working hard on this case,” said Zolchonock, who was told by Conaty during the meeting that his father’s case is an active investigation and is pending a grand jury investigation. 

Zolchonock ultimately left the meeting with no new information surrounding his father’s death, but he did gain a newfound confidence in the justice system and the cogs working within it to bring closure to his family.

“He took a bigger step than picking up the phone,” said Zolchonock as he reflected on his 45-minute meeting at Conaty’s office in Monticello. Before this meeting, Zolchonock’s contact with law enforcement officers had left him with little information about the events leading up to his father’s death and even less confidence in their ability to solve the crime. 

Prior to his meeting with Conaty, Zolchonock complained about his struggle to unearth any details: “The investigators refused to provide me any paper documentation. I tried to FOIA [Freedom of Information Act] the coroner’s report and all information relevant to the case in 2022. My FOIA request was denied, and they cited an active investigation.” 

Zolchonock was able to obtain a copy of the death certificate, which states that Israel died in the ER due to an assault in a neighbor’s house. The certificate lists the manner of death as homicide, and the immediate cause of death was blunt force trauma with subarachnoid hemorrhage. Events leading up to and those responsible for this blunt force trauma remain a mystery, despite reports that partygoers witnessed the incident.

When the Democrat contacted the New York State Police to find out more details, Public Information Officer Jennifer Alvarez cited an ongoing and active investigation. Attempts to reach the District Attorney for comment were unanswered by presstime. 

A FOIL (Freedom of Information Law) request for the original police report garnered this response: “the records… were compiled for law enforcement purposes and which, if disclosed, would interfere with a law enforcement investigation (Public Officers Law § 87(2)(e)(i)).  Additionally, disclosure of these records would constitute an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy (see Public Officers Law § 87(2)(b).”

As the wheels of justice slowly grind, friends of Israel “Ira” Zolchonock prepare for their sixth annual memorial motorcycle ride for their fallen brother in Swan Lake on Saturday, June 13. The memorial ride will start at 11 a.m. at the Swan Lake Fire Department at 52 Stanton Corners Road and end at The Courtyard, 182 Rockland Road in Roscoe. 

“Ira was a beloved member of the Swan Lake community and had many friends,” said friend Nancy Levine. “If you needed help, Ira was the person you could depend on.”

If you have any information concerning the death of Israel Zolchonock, please contact the New York State Police at 845-344-5358 or the Sullivan County District Attorney’s office at 845-794-3344.