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January 16th, 2007

The Number of Unsolved Murders in New York City

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There are now 9,082 unsolved murders in New York City going back to 1985. That figure is a moving target of course. They are adding to that number all the time. Roughly 150 – 200 or more murders go cold every year, and try as they might, they are not going back and solving that many each year (of the older, cold cases).

That picture was take at one of the Property Clerk warehouses. Those barrels contain homicide evidence.

Attention!  If you have a friend or loved one whose murder is still unsolved and you want to know what to do, please read this:

People ask repeatedly in the comments section about what to do or who to call about an unsolved murder. The answer to those questions are on the left under the heading, Getting Help – Contacting a Cold Case Squad. First read the document titled Before You Contact a Cold Case Squad. Then look up the number in the document Cold Case Squad and Other Organizations.

If you can’t find a number for your city or town, call your local police department and ask them if they have a cold case squad or a person in their homicide squad who specializes in cold cases. If they don’t then ask to speak to someone in their homicide squad. If you don’t get what you believe is a decent response, then go to the document on the left titled, Escalating Your Case.

If you have specific questions after reading through these instructions please ask here, but come back to see the answer!

→ 783 CommentsTags: Homicide Facts ·

783 responses so far ↓

  • 1 Luis // Dec 22, 2013 at 4:55 am

    Ooh Wooow can’t believe you answer me,this is real!!..ok thank you so much and god bless you Ms.Horn 🙂

  • 2 Kim // Dec 24, 2013 at 4:46 pm

    Hello, I’m trying to give a friend a Christmas Gift of closure to what may have happened to her sister. Her sister Margrett Manson (aka Milly or Millie) became missing sometime between 1968-70 from the Brooklyn area. She was married to and shared 1 male child with Lawrence (Larry) Birdsol, also from the Brooklyn area, who she was estranged from due to physical abuse to her. Larry was a long distance truck driver at the time she went missing. Lawrence would always talk about the places he would travel to being a truck driver. One place in particular was a place in Florida called Alligator Alley. It was known by that name due to the fact that on both sides of a narrow road, there was nothing but swamp and he said, it would be easy to get rid of a body there because the alligator’s would eat the body. But there is no proof that happened to Margrett. Shortly after Margrett went missing, Lawrence retrieved their son from the maternal Great-Grandmothers home and disappeared with him. The child was missing for years until a friend of Margrett’s family spotted Lawrence in Brooklyn going into a building and followed him. They contacted Margrett’s family and soon after, family members went from door to door looking for the child who by then, was 17. Lawrence had the child believing someone else was his birth mother and the child had no memories of Margrett his real birth mother. Margrett was once a Go-Go dancer (Cage Girl) at The Pipeman’s on Malta Street. She was reported missing by her mother (who has now passed on) and the report was made at the 73rd Precinct Brooklyn. The last known person to be seen with Margrett was a Lita Allen a friend of both her and her husbands. We also know that Margrett’s social security number is now being used by a woman of Latino decent. We do understand that after so many years, the outcome may not be good, but still the family wants some type of closure.

  • 3 Stacy Horn // Dec 24, 2013 at 5:08 pm

    It’s very nice of you to want to help your friend. Did you have a question? I’m not knowledgable in the area of missing persons however, but if your friend wants to have the police take another look at the case, I’d suggest she contact the 73rd precinct to see where the case was left. If she believes this young man is her abducted nephew she should definitely report that to the police as well, so they can investigate. Except, wait a minute, this must have been many years ago too, the son of the missing woman would have to be in his forties by now. Was the abduction reported? Were the police contacted when Lawrence returned with the boy who may or may not have been your friend’s nephew? Well, in any case, she should start with the detectives at the 73rd precinct. She would need to make this call, this is not something you could do for her. Tell her the number to call is 718-636-6485. Before she calls she should have any information they might need ready, like the date when her sister was first reported missing, where she was living at the time, and so on.

    I would also recommend contacting the Doe Network for advice, http://www.doenetwork.org/ and Namus http://www.namus.gov/

  • 4 Stacy Horn // Dec 24, 2013 at 5:16 pm

    You’re very welcome.

  • 5 Stacy Horn // Dec 24, 2013 at 5:17 pm

    I am so sorry about your brother and I truly hope the police will be able to close his case. I think justice is important no matter how mant years have passed.

  • 6 Keisha Stubbs // Feb 21, 2014 at 11:05 pm

    Hello June 29, 2009 Shawn Gary was shot in a car in queens ny on 171st st and 137th avenue. It has not been solved yey. Can you help?? Please…. thank you

  • 7 Stacy Horn // Feb 23, 2014 at 7:08 pm

    All my suggestions for how to proceed are in this post: https://www.therestlesssleep.com/?p=1347

    If you have any questions as you go along, please come back and ask. And good luck. You didn’t say what your relation to Shawn Gary is, but I’m sorry for your loss.

  • 8 AnneBerengere Pelluau // Mar 10, 2014 at 2:36 pm

    Hello, I am French and travelled to NY for the first time in August 1984. I was a teenager. During my trip I was a witness of a homicide that happened in the street. I almost got killed. I never had any news since then, so I think nobody was arrested. Do you think it is possible to have more information? I will never forget that day and I think about it very very often. I have the approximte date and the exact address but I never had the name of the man who died. What can I do to know more?
    Thank you very much!

  • 9 Stacy Horn // Mar 10, 2014 at 7:31 pm

    In your case I would suggest starting at the library. I give instructions here: https://www.therestlesssleep.com/?p=704

    Once you have a little more information, come back and I can advise you about what to do next. (I’m sorry that you experienced something like that at such a young age. And I’m sorry it happened to you here!)

  • 10 Desiree Ruiz // Mar 10, 2014 at 8:58 pm

    MARIA COLON was my mothers bestfriend. ALFRED NUNEZ if you happen to come across this post, please contact us. We have also been looking for clues to no avail, and for years my mother has been praying for Maria’s peace. It would be good to connect! I’ve also emailed Stacy our phone numbers. Please contact us!!!!!

  • 11 Desiree Ruiz // Mar 10, 2014 at 9:00 pm

    FYI, the above post is regarding MARIA COLON who was raped and killed in Flushing Meadows Park in Corona, Queens in 1979.

  • 12 BARBARA WASHINGTON // Mar 10, 2014 at 11:49 pm

    @ALFRED NUNEZ. .OMG! Do you remember me.Your sister MARIA Colon was my best friend still today in my heart I never forgot about her or you. I tryed to find you .until today I’m geting closer to you I still live in the same house I always wonder what happen to you and ur grandmother I never forgot about Maria how can I see the last house that you lived in Corona please reach out to me I hope ur doing Good GOD BLESS YOU I Miss You!!

  • 13 AnneBerengere Pelluau // Mar 11, 2014 at 4:56 am

    Thank you very much for your quick answer! I already called the police precinct that was in charge of the case and they say they can’t go so far as 1984. I have to write to the NYPD archives for research. I will follow your advice and continue on my own. It’s not easy because I live in Paris and I have to find everything on the web, I can’t go anywhere… I’ll try with Proquest and I’ll let you know. Thank you very much again. (Whatever happened I feel home in the States and love your country!)

  • 14 Stacy Horn // Mar 11, 2014 at 12:54 pm

    Well, since you are not a member of the immediate family they are not obliged to go back. What precinct was it? In any case, if you can do some research and get me a little more information about the date and the place I can see what I can find out.

  • 15 Stacy Horn // Mar 11, 2014 at 12:54 pm

    Desiree and Barbara, I got your email and forwarded it to Alfred. I hope it reaches him.

  • 16 Marissa // Apr 2, 2014 at 4:08 pm

    My father was murdered in 1965 I was in Cuba then, I arrived in the states in May 1966 after my father was buried, I have not been able to put closure how do I go about finding out information about newspaper articles etc. Thank you.

  • 17 Stacy Horn // Apr 4, 2014 at 9:33 am

    I’m so sorry about your father. I give instructions for using Proquest here:

    https://www.therestlesssleep.com/?p=704

    And about contacting a cold case squad here:

    https://www.therestlesssleep.com/?page_id=366

  • 18 Chrissy // Apr 5, 2014 at 3:16 am

    Hi I dont know it will help but putting photos and some info on fb on missing sites have helped alot of people i know the feeling of to many here and i believe reaching out to as any as you can and telling your story can help your outcome
    https://www.facebook.com/pages/Missing-Voices-Persons/248289828689855?ref=hl
    god bless u all

  • 19 Veronica Torruellas // May 20, 2014 at 10:04 pm

    My brother was murder on the brooklyn bridge in 1989 he was 22 it made the news can anybody help

  • 20 Veronica Torruellas // May 20, 2014 at 10:08 pm

    So sad so many unsolved murder so many if us so different
    But yet feel the same pain

  • 21 Stacy Horn // May 21, 2014 at 5:40 pm

    I am so very sorry about your brother. I would suggest starting by looking over on the left here, at the top, where it says Getting Help-Contacting a Cold Case Squad. Click on “Before You Contact a Cold Case Squad READ THIS” and read through those instructions carefully. I wrote out what I feel is good advice about how to get help.

    If you have specific questions please feel free ask.

  • 22 Maritza Cubero // May 23, 2014 at 11:17 am

    Hello, my brother was murdered on July 4th, 1995 in the Bronx. His name was Jose L. Torres. Apparently my brother was stabbed twice in the heart and according to Detective Coors from I think it was Precinct 44 he was DOA. My brother had no identification at the time of the murder so it took them 2 weeks to identify him and contact the family. I followed up with Det. Coors but soon my life took over and years passed by. I have never forgotten about this tragedy and have always wondered if the killer or killers were ever caught. My brother was only 31 years old. According to the detective his body was found in a nearby park where apparently the murder had taken place. Because this crime was committed in such an open and very public place I could not understand why no one witnessed anything. I know that law enforcement officers are bombarded with a slew of work inviolving everyday crimes and the infamous cold case files continue piling up but at one point or the other and some way some how someone has to pay for these tragic crimes. Can someone provide me with any information on the unsolved murder of my dear brother?

  • 23 Stacy Horn // May 23, 2014 at 11:50 am

    Hello Maritza. I’m very sorry about your brother, I’m going to email you.

  • 24 CARLENE HOWELL // Jun 15, 2014 at 9:57 pm

    HELLO,

    MY NAME IS CARLENE I COMMENTED ON THIS WEBSITE YEARS AGO REGARDING MY MOTHER. I STILL HAVE NO ANSWER AND I AM STILL LOOKING. CAN I STILL BE HELPED.

  • 25 Stacy Horn // Jun 16, 2014 at 8:20 am

    Carlene, I emailed you on April 7, 2009, the day you posted, and you never responded. Here is what I emailed you and I would still like to help you if I can:

    Carlene, my name is Stacy Horn and I run the blog you just posted on about your mother.  I would like to try to help you and get you in touch with someone at the NYPD.

    First, I am so sorry your mother was murdered and you had to grow up without her.  I can well understand wanting to learn anything you can about her.  I’m not sure there will be a lot about her of a personal nature in the police files, but it’s worth checking.  To begin, what was your mother’s name, and what was the date of her death?  Do you know where in Brooklyn?

  • 26 Stacy Horn // Jun 19, 2014 at 2:30 pm

    I see you haven’t responded, so I’m going to try emailing you again.

  • 27 shaquan daley // Jun 25, 2014 at 9:28 am

    hello my father was killed in 1987 in bush wick brooklyn on putnam ave hs name is derrick brown i he’s killer was caught i believe wanted to know his name find out about him maybe even get to talk to the guy just to ask question anyway i can get help with any of this please.. email back thank you

  • 28 Stacy Horn // Jun 25, 2014 at 6:15 pm

    I’m very sorry about your father. I would suggest calling the detective squad at the precinct where the murder occurred. They can give you the name of the murderer and, if he’s in prison, they can let you know where he is. As far as contacting this person, I can’t really help you with that, it falls out of the area of my expertise. But the detective can advise you. You can also check the website for the prison to find out what the procedures are for visiting.

  • 29 ana machuca // Jun 25, 2014 at 9:31 pm

    I INVESTIGATING MY FATHER MURDER THEY THREW HIM OUT THE ROOF WHEN I WAS 3 YEARS ALL MY MOTHER NEVER INVESTIGATED AND THAT HAS HAUNT ME ALL MY LIFE AND I WILL LIKE TO FIND OUT SO THE PERSON COULD PAID FOR LEAVING ME WITHOUT A FATHER

  • 30 Stacy Horn // Jun 28, 2014 at 4:24 pm

    That’s so sad, I’m very sorry about your father. I feel like I always respond with the same thing, but I would suggest starting by looking over on the left here, at the top, where it says Getting Help-Contacting a Cold Case Squad. Click on “Before You Contact a Cold Case Squad READ THIS” and read through those instructions carefully. I wrote out what I feel is good advice about how to get help.

    If you have specific questions please feel free ask.

  • 31 Stacy Horn // Jun 28, 2014 at 4:25 pm

    I’m wondering, does anyone read the post before leaving a comment here? Where I say, “Attention! If you have a friend or loved one whose murder is still unsolved and you want to know what to do, please read this …”?

  • 32 Kieonie // Jul 12, 2014 at 1:56 pm

    Hello I was trying to find out about the murder of my grandfather Richard Williams.He was killed in December of 1977 in Brooklyn. Of course I was not born yet but in the mix of everything my mother never knew if hes murder was solve. She lose track of his family after the death and we are just trying to get information about him.

  • 33 Stacy Horn // Jul 13, 2014 at 2:34 pm

    In your case I would begin by calling the precinct. You didn’t tell me where in Brooklyn he was killed so I can’t tell you which precinct that is (perhaps you already know). If you don’t know which precinct it was you can find it here. But you will need to have the address ready of where he was killed.

    http://www.nyc.gov/html/nypd/html/precinct_maps/precinct_finder.shtml

    Ask to be connected to the detective squad and only speak to someone in the detective squad, but be polite about it of course.

    I’m sorry he was murdered and that you never got to meet him.

  • 34 frances // Jul 14, 2014 at 2:53 pm

    Hi my name is Frances I am 42 years old right bfor I was born my aunt Evelyn VALLES was murdered in Brooklyn NY she was beaten to death my grandmother died never finding who murdered her daughter. My dad is still alive but sick and always Cry’s about his sister who was only 21 at the time she was murdered .I would like to open her case but don’t know wat to do . can someone help . thanks

  • 35 Stacy Horn // Jul 14, 2014 at 3:02 pm

    I guess people really don’t read the post before commenting. I’m not criticizing, but I’m wondering what I can do to change that. Because the answers to your questions, and what you need to do are right there.

    If you look up at this post, it says: “Attention! If you have a friend or loved one whose murder is still unsolved and you want to know what to do, please read this …”? So I would start there and if you have any questions, please feel free to ask.

    I’m very sorry about your Aunt. Your poor father and Grandmother.

  • 36 Maria R // Jul 31, 2014 at 2:13 pm

    My adopted brother would like articles about his parents. He and his toddler-aged brother were found in a bronx apt. with their dead mom. The father killed her but he wants to find the articles. this is around late 1980’s. He was placed in foster care and my parents adopted them.

  • 37 Maria R. // Jul 31, 2014 at 3:03 pm

    My mother “fell” off the roof in the Bronx in the early 80s. Her death certificate states she contusions and it sounded like she had injuries before the “fall”. It was never solved but there is one solid suspect. The man she lived with. Very frustrating because it’s been called a suicide and my sister and I lived in fear that maybe we had suicidal tendoncies like our mom.
    Now that its been over 20 years I hear rumors that everyone understood her boyfriend’s frustration with her addiction so no one implicated him. So he appointed himself judge and juror.

  • 38 Stacy Horn // Jul 31, 2014 at 4:22 pm

    Your brother should be able to find any articles that came out by searching in the New York Public Library using Proquest and microfilm. I’m going to cut and paste from an earlier post which explains how:

    If you grew up thinking going to the library was a chore, that’s probably because you didn’t have things like Proquest. Proquest is a database of newspapers.

    If you’re in New York, go to the New York Public Library’s website to see which branches have access to Proquest. Outside New York contact your local library and ask if they have it. If not, you’ll have to search through microfiche, which takes longer, but it’s still a great resource.

    Here’s how Proquest works. Let’s say you’re researching a murder that happened in the subway in 1967. With Proquest, you can narrow the search to that year, and then tell it to search on “homicide” and “subway”. Any articles that were written about murders in the subways that year will come back. If you just have the murder victim’s name and nothing else, just type in the person’s name. You can narrow the search down later if too much comes back.

    If you don’t have access to Proquest—and Proquest doesn’t have all the newspapers in the country digitized yet, good old microfiche (aka microfilm) is still a dependable, valuable resource and this will also be available to you at the New York Public Library (and most other libraries).

    If you need help with Proquest ask a librarian. This is their thing, finding information. They are information detectives! So not only can they help you with Proquest, they will suggest other things to try.

  • 39 Stacy Horn // Jul 31, 2014 at 4:27 pm

    I’m very sorry you lost your mother. I explain what to do if you want to dispute a manner of death here:

    https://www.therestlesssleep.com/?page_id=382

    If you have questions along the way, please come back and ask I will try to advise you as best I can. I am not a lawyer, and this is not my area of expertise, however.

  • 40 L.Goodman // Aug 14, 2014 at 6:53 am

    Hello, I’M trying to find info on my brother Michael Birt who was killed August 7th 2003 , in bklyn on Monroe St. HE was shot twice in the back of the head. I would love to know if they have any suspects. HOw can I gain more info on this case?

  • 41 Stacy Horn // Aug 14, 2014 at 12:18 pm

    I’m so sorry about your brother. When was the last time your family had contact with the detective working the case? The first thing I would suggest be getting in touch with him or her.

  • 42 Chiko // Sep 11, 2014 at 4:52 pm

    Hey Stacy just checking back in, to see if iris Soto or Sergio ever responded to your emails about Lorenzo “Kuriaki” Soto?

    Thank you

  • 43 Stacy Horn // Sep 13, 2014 at 10:37 am

    If you haven’t heard from me, that means I haven’t heard from them. I’m sorry. It’s really not necessary to keep checking in to ask. I wouldn’t not tell you.

  • 44 jeff // Sep 13, 2014 at 12:28 pm

    Stacy,
    I am a retired Police Officer, who worked as a Rookie, in the Bronx in 1986. I was the first officer on the scene of a brutal murder, and it has bothered me for a long time. It was a female hispanic, she was found on the rooftop. The next day as we returned from the ME’s office another call came in across the street, where a male hispanic was found DOA. This was also a brutal murder. I have no recollection of names or location other than it was around Southern Blvd. in September or October 1986. Is there a list of each Homicide victim from the Bronx in 1986. I don’t live near NYC anymore
    thank you

  • 45 Stacy Horn // Sep 13, 2014 at 12:39 pm

    Hi. What precinct was this?

  • 46 jeff // Sep 14, 2014 at 5:34 pm

    41 or 43

  • 47 Stacy Horn // Sep 15, 2014 at 2:31 pm

    Okay, I’m confused. You don’t know which precinct you worked in?

  • 48 Connie Petersen // Sep 22, 2014 at 8:08 pm

    Dear Stacy, First I would like to thank you so much for your site, your help and your patient encouragement. Through a fluke I found out my first cousin was murdered in NYC in 1990. We (family members) were never notified of his death, perhaps because the police did not have any information on him. I got a copy of his death certificate which told me he was buried in the “city cemetery” which tells me no one claimed his body. Also there is no personal information on the death certificate, not even his date of birth, parents, address ,,,,, nothing. just where and when he was killed. My cousin Peter John Schultz Rivera was murdered November 5, 1990 on Lexington Ave. Between 122nd and 123rd Streets. I have contacted the 25th precinct and spoke to a Det. that told me the case is still open, no arrests were ever made. Beyond that he could tell me nothing. I spoke with the DA, he has nothing concerning this case beside a copy of the death cert. I then wrote to the Medical Examiner to request a copy of the autopsy and tox report (which I still have not received). I just sent out a letter to the Records Access Officer of F.O.I.L. NYC PD which I am hoping will at least get us a copy of the complaint record so that we at least know something of how or what happened. I am only writing here in the hope that SOMEONE, ANYONE will have information or knew John. Please if anyone does respond with ANY information pass my email along to them for contact. Peter John Schultz Rivera was known to us as John Schultz. Thank you so much for all of your help with these unsolved murders and for helping the families with a place to start looking.

  • 49 jeff // Sep 23, 2014 at 7:26 am

    It was while I was in NSU 8, field training, so we switched precincts all the time

  • 50 Stacy Horn // Sep 23, 2014 at 9:24 am

    Hi. I’m very sorry about your cousin. You’re not going to get copies of the case records, as it is still open. I will email you more information.

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