Freezing rain fell on the navy blue BMW that sat on a narrow side street in Astoria, Queens, last week, and the ice-encrusted snow soon concealed its roof and windows.

People who live in the neighborhood said they walked past the car, which was parked on 28th Street, for two days without noticing anything odd. At the same time, some friends were concerned over the disappearance on Wednesday of a young Albanian immigrant, Argent Dyryzi, who lived nearby. On Friday, they had fliers printed and went up and down 28th Street, passing the snowbound car at the corner of Newtown Avenue several times.

It was not until Friday night, after the weather had turned slightly warmer and some snow and ice had melted from the car’s windows, that a passer-by could make out a figure slumped over the wheel. It was the body of Mr. Dyryzi.

The BMW belonged to one of the two roommates that Mr. Dyryzi, 31, shared an apartment with a half block away.