Husband Of Missing Woman Speaks

NEW YORK -- The husband of the Upper East Side woman who mysteriously disappeared while walking her dog tells NewsChannel 4 exclusively that he fears his wife was murdered.

"Given all the facts surrounding her disappearance, and the way it progressed and how she was found, I just can't think of anything else," said Dr. Alexander Aronov, the husband of Svetlana Aronov.

There are still three theories as to how Svetlana Aronov died and why her body surfaced in the East River near Long Island City six weeks after she vanished. Those theories include: murder, suicide, or some kind of accident.

However, Aronov discounts the accident theory.

"This is not the area like where accidents of that sort happen," he said. "It's not like you slipped and fell in or went for a swim and drowned."

The day Svetlana Aronov disappeared, the mother of two had run errands, and then took the family dog for a walk. She disappeared along York Avenue near East 68th Street, at about 2:30 p.m. Aronov says he seriously doubts she killed herself.

"To that theory, I would give zero possibility because she was a happy person, she was content with her life, everything was going well," Aronov said.

The medical examiner says Svetlana died as a result of drowning and there were minor bruises on her legs. Police say there were no other signs of trauma and again offered few answers.

"We still have an investigation, of course, that's being conducted but we have no new information," said city police Commissioner Ray Kelly.

Aronov says if it was murder, he has no idea who would want to harm his wife. Early on, police had some suspicion of the doctor himself. His wife had been having an affair, and she vanished in broad daylight. But he passed two lie detector tests and detectives say he has cooperated in their investigation.

Aronov says he and his two children held out hope until the body was discovered. Nearly three weeks later, he says he's returning to work, trying to cope. He also says he wants the case solved.

"I hope it will become easier, but I don't see the end of it in sight, unfortunately," Aranov said.

Aronov says he still has a team of private investigators trying to help solve the case. He also says he is offering a $25,000 reward for anyone who offers information that can help answer how and why his wife died.