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Missing Moira highway superintendent, wife found safe

James and Sandra Helm (Photo provided by New York State Police)

MOIRA — This town’s highway superintendent and his wife, both in their 70s, have been found safe after going missing Sunday. The FBI made the announcement Tuesday evening.

FBI Public Affairs Specialist Sarah Ruane said additional details about the case would be released Wednesday.

Ruane said the investigation had involved a great deal of coordination among multiple police agencies in two countries ­– the United States and Canada.

Sgt. Claude Denis of the Sureté du Quebec, the provincial police agency, said earlier Tuesday that the SQ was assisting state police in their search for James A. Helm Sr., 76, and his 70-year-old wife Sandra because authorities believed the couple could be in Quebec. Akwesasne Mohawk Police Services Chief Sean Dulude also confirmed his agency was involved in the investigation and was assisting the SQ. Both declined to comment further, citing the ongoing nature of the investigation.

New York State Police released photos of the couple Tuesday afternoon but did not provide any additional information about the investigation.

The Helms were last seen Sunday evening, troopers previously said. No other details were released.

On Monday afternoon, the Helm residence on Route 95 was closed off by police crime scene tape and two troopers were posted at the home. On Tuesday, the police presence and the crime scene tape were gone.

Helm has been the town highway superintendent for more than a decade and has often run unopposed, usually with the backing of both major political parties. He was most recently reelected in 2019.

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