He suffered from dementia and had been missing from his cliffside Montauk compound since March 31, 2020. Beard's disappearance sparked a massive search, with dozens of members of law enforcement and K-9 units going door to door and helicopters and drones scanning the coastline. His his remains were found not far from his Long Island property in a densely wooded area of Camp Hero State Park on April 19, 2020.