Amherst cold case reopened

 
I was completely shocked to hear that the remains of Nancy Scamurra had finally been recovered and identified. Scamurra was the 14 year old girl from Amherst who went missing in 1984. She had gotten into an argument with a family member and was last seen heading towards North Forrest Road. She was never seen alive again.


Her DNA was matched today with a decapitated body found off the shores of Lake Ontario. Ironically, the body had been discovered in Oswego County only days after she went missing. But it took nearly 30 years for authorities to put two and two together.


Authorities are adamant that the case has not been closed. They feel somebody must have seen something that night. Perhaps the location of the body's discovery might yield the one clue needed to solve this case. Seems to me like it could have been a random crime of opportunity. Hopefully, they'll question known scumbag Paul Bernardo. Bernardo is the Scarborough rapist/murderer, who was known to have smuggled cigarettes across the US/Canadian border around the time of Scamurra's disappearance. He would have been 20 at the time of Scamurra's murder. He had already raped at least a dozen young girls by age 23. He is known to have killed at least three young girls.

I have no proof (and it very well could be some unknown person). However, there is one striking similarity. One of Bernardo's victims, Leslie Mahaffy was a 14 year old girl. Her torso, head and limbs missing, was found in a Lake in Ontario two weeks after she went missing. Scamurra's torso, head and limbs missing, was found in Lake Oswego, two weeks after she was reported missing. This is either an eerie coincidence or the work of the same killer. I'll leave it up to the experts. I believe in the detectives and I hope somebody steps forward with information.
Remains of body found in '84 identified as missing Amherst teen

Arrest made in 1979 cold case

Amazingly, after 33 years, an arrest has been made in the abduction and murder of 6 year old Etan Patz. I've casually followed this case for years, and from time to time, would hear about a potential lead or a new suspect in the case. Patz was the New York City boy, who never made it to his bus stop in 1979. His body has never been found and his disappearance shocked the entire city. He became the first missing person to have his picture placed on a milk carton.


Unfortunately, there are still more questions than answers in this case. 51 year old Pedro Hernandez, whose attorney says has a history of mental illness, confessed to the crime this week. Please say he gave details that only the killer would know. In a coincidental move, he also moved to New Jersey right after the disappearance.


Today's news must come as a relief to convicted pedophile Jose Ramos. In 2004, a civil jury deemed him responsible for the child's murder. In fact, the Patz family was awarded the symbolic sum of $2 million (which they have not collected, since Ramos is in jail for another molestation). Ramos has steadfastly denied any involvement in the disappearance of the child.


It will be interesting to see what evidence, if any, is eventually made public in this case. Is there really new evidence or is an ambitious DA trying to make a name for himself? 
WSVN-TV - NJ man charged with murdering NY boy Patz in 1979

Police reopening 31 year old missing persons case in NYC

It was the first time a missing person's picture was placed on a milk carton. Now, 31 years later, the district attorney is reopening the case and they have a suspect in mind.

New York (CNN) -- His was the first face of a missing child to appear on the back of a milk carton. Now, nearly 31 years to the day since Etan Patz vanished from a New York street, authorities are reopening his case.
The communications director for Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. confirmed that the office is taking another look at the decades-old mystery.

These cold cases fascinate me. Think of how many things have changed since 1979. It's always interesting to see the people who stay on a case in the pursuit of justice. Police believe this guy is responsible for the 6 year old's murder. Hopefully, there will soon be some answers for the family members:

District attorney reopens case of first missing child on milk carton