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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 Zoey // Sep 27, 2014 at 11:13 pm

    Hi, im zoey and i was just wondering if you can help me solve a murder. There is this woman by the name of Baileigh (or Bailey ) Higgins. Im sorry but i have no idea where she was murdered but i really need to find out where it all happened. She had passed away back in 1972. Since you’re the experts maybe you can do some research of her if she was murdered in NYC, but if you cant get any info, I totally understand. Thank You.

  • 2 Stacy Horn // Sep 29, 2014 at 5:04 pm

    I’ve written instructions to help people research here:

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

    Good luck!

  • 3 thanks // Oct 8, 2014 at 7:44 pm

    hello,
    trying to find info on a friend of mine who was killed sometime in 2004. think he was from the Bronx. his name is Michael colin young.

  • 4 Brent Atkins // Oct 9, 2014 at 9:45 am

    calvin louis-juste was shot and killed in Brooklyn.
    He was a grad school student from SUNY Cortland. I have never heard any investigation being done into his murder. I am a former classmate and his friends and family just want to see justice served!
    Thanks!!

  • 5 Stacy Horn // Oct 9, 2014 at 12:14 pm

    I am so very sorry about your friend. If you look over on the left here, at the top, there’s a linked section called 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.

  • 6 Stacy Horn // Oct 9, 2014 at 12:20 pm

    I’m so sorry about your friend. Did you have a question? If the family would like to contact the Cold Case Squad I have advice and instructions on the left here, at the top, in a section called Getting Help-Contacting a Cold Case Squad. Click on “Before You Contact a Cold Case Squad READ THIS” and read through those instructions carefully.

    If you have specific questions please feel free ask.

  • 7 Angelo Blount // Oct 13, 2014 at 1:20 am

    Hello, I was just in the process of putting together my family tree, and I realize questions about my uncles death ( Bernard Blount) have never been talked about. Most of my family that could answer the questions have passed away including my father which was his brother. He didn’t like talking about it a lot. I not sure of the case was ever solved or what I was around (7) years old when he was shot and Killed in Corona, Queens on Northern Blvd between 104-105 st. In May of 1980 and I think it happen around Mother’s Day. And a small story ran in one of the news papers the Daily News or the New York Post. But I seem to can’t find archives on their websites dating back that far. Now i have a few questions I hope you can point me in the right direction.

    1. I no longer live in NYC I now live in North Carolina. Can I still go to the library and try to find the news paper article?

    2. If his case is still a cold case how much info could I find out by just being his nephew.?

    Thank you, any direction you can point me will be great. I happen to come across this site by researching.

  • 8 Stacy Horn // Oct 16, 2014 at 11:56 am

    1. Yes. There’s a database of newspaper archives called Proquest. I’m not sure if the New York Daily News and the New York Post are among the newspapers they’ve scanned, but if they are you should be able to access Proquest at your local library. If not, I believe your library can do an interlibrary loan (with the New York Public Library) for the microfilm and you can search that way. Or, if you don’t mind spending a little money, you can contact the New York Public Library and pay them to search for you.

    2. It depends. And you should be able to at least find out if the case was close or if it is still open. Is anyone from your Uncle’s immediate family still alive? A spouse or children?

  • 9 nathan perry // Oct 28, 2014 at 6:35 pm

    I grew up in Brooklyn nyc
    AND I RETIRED fron nyc dept. of correction also new York has scumbags and nasty people in all colors and shapes the police do a great job and to the scum who has not b yet caught yet your time will come

  • 10 Stacy Horn // Nov 3, 2014 at 5:25 pm

    Well, I can be more help if you can nail down the precinct you were in at the time. Call old friends!

  • 11 Joselyn E // Nov 10, 2014 at 10:31 am

    Stacy,
    I saw several people with very similar problem, such as mine. My fater was murder when I was very young and I just want to know more information. I really want to read more about the case and understand what happen. Can you please help me?

  • 12 Stacy Horn // Nov 11, 2014 at 9:11 am

    I’m sorry about your father. What did you want to know? Was his case closed, or is it still open? If it’s still open look over on the left on this blog, where it says, GETTING HELP – CONTACTING A COLD CASE SQUAD, and click on “Before You Contact a Cold Case Squad.” I’ve written instructions on what do to. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask.

    If it’s closed, it depends on what you want to know. I would start with your family. But if you wanted to contact the police department in order to tell you who to contact I’d need your father’s name, and the date and location of his murder.

  • 13 Chiko // Nov 21, 2014 at 3:02 pm

    Hey Stacy,

    Great news…I FINALLY got in contact with Iris Soto….wow after all this time. just wanted to let you know and thank you for your efforts.

  • 14 Stacy Horn // Nov 22, 2014 at 2:52 pm

    Well, what do you know. I hope you were able to tell her something about her brother.

  • 15 Rosie // Nov 26, 2014 at 4:27 pm

    Happy Holiday Stacy,

    Im looking for information on a possible homicide of my grandmother. She was found dead at train station tracks in the Bronx NY. She left behind her only 2 kids aproximate age 3yr female & 1yr old male. She was later identified by her father (Whom is still alive) and took body for burial to the Island PR. This would have happened 1968 maybe 1969. She hid her kids & fled. It is believed she was being chased. We have 2 versions my moms Grandpa & my moms dad. I can give further information to the inccident. We would like closure as our Great grandpa is older now and we have nothing. My grandpa does not speak on the matter. There was an extensive custody battle for the kids after her death. My uncle since then has passed & my mom needs closure so do we. We know nothing other than she left her kids and was found dead on the tracks. Please help. If im not mistaken my great grandpa stated it was in the Bathgate Ave they lived at the time. I have details that may help but at this point we dont know if its a cold case closed case or what ever other option. All we know is she appeared dead and identified later on after missing persons report was made by great grandpa.

    Thanks for any help!

  • 16 Stacy Horn // Nov 26, 2014 at 5:07 pm

    I am sorry about your grandmother. I would suggest you begin by requesting a death certificate. The death certificate will list the cause and manner of death. If it was ruled an accident or something natural, like a heart attack, there won’t be any kind of police file. If it says manslaughter or homicide, let me know and I can make suggestions from there.

    The link for NYC vital records is below. They will allow you to put a range if you are unsure of the date, but I’m not sure how many years that range can be.

    http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/html/services/vr-death-general.shtml

    Also, and this is not my area of expertise, but if there was a custody battle there will be records of that in Family Court, and you can request those records (there will be a fee). Google “family court” and New York. Those records will probably tell you a lot if there was a custody battle and if it went to court.

  • 17 franciso claudio // Nov 29, 2014 at 6:14 pm

    Hi my brother was murder on watson ave in 1991. He was shot and killed during a conversation on a public phone. Witnesses stated that a man walked up to him said a few words to him then shot him. The case has been cold and never was we notify about the case. This case has been cold ever since. Thank you. Hope to have the help from someone.

  • 18 Stacy Horn // Nov 30, 2014 at 6:47 pm

    I’m very sorry about your brother. He was killed at the height of the crime wave in New York City. More people were murdered that year than in any other year in NYC’s history. It also sounds like a hard case to solve unless they found someone with a motive to kill your brother (and it wasn’t random).

    As I say to everyone, and in the post you’ve left a comment to, if you look over on the left on this blog, where it says, GETTING HELP – CONTACTING A COLD CASE SQUAD, and click on “Before You Contact a Cold Case Squad.” I’ve written instructions on what do to. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask.

  • 19 Lucy Cruz // Dec 27, 2014 at 7:30 pm

    My brother was kill between 1976 1978, in a apartment in the Bronx. Every day I wonder if is still open. I can’t fine any on the web.
    Hope someone could help me.

  • 20 Stacy Horn // Dec 27, 2014 at 7:55 pm

    I’m very sorry about your brother. As I say to everyone, and in the post you’ve left a comment to, if you look over on the left on this blog, where it says, GETTING HELP – CONTACTING A COLD CASE SQUAD, and click on “Before You Contact a Cold Case Squad.” I’ve written instructions on what do to. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask.

    In your case, you’re not sure that the case hasn’t actually been closed. If you can pull together the date he was killed and where, I can give you the number of the detective squad at the precinct who would have handled the case. You can call them see if the case was closed or still open.

    If you don’t have relatives who can tell you I would go to the library and use Ancestry.com to find this out using the Social Security Death Index. If you’ve never used this before a librarian can help you. They can also show you how to use Proquest and microfilm to look for possible articles in local newspapers about his murder.

  • 21 Jonathan Alicea // Jan 1, 2015 at 8:23 pm

    My name is Jon Alicea, when I was two years old my mom was murdered in her bed while I was in the house. I heard it happen, but as a two year old all I could do was ball up and hide under my table in my room. As to my knowledge this guy was not caught and as I try and google the case I can’t find anything about it. Her name was Yolanda Martinez and the year of her murder took place in 1997 I am just look for details now that I am older.

  • 22 Stacy Horn // Jan 2, 2015 at 11:55 am

    How absolutely terrible. I am so sorry. When in 1997, and where exactly did it happen?

  • 23 Valerie Metz // Jan 2, 2015 at 9:20 pm

    Hello Stacy. Hope all is well. I have two family members that I’m hoping you can help me with.
    My uncle Nelson Aguilar was an electrician who was murdered while doing work on a home along with the home owners. A child was in the home but unharmed. This occurred in April. 1990 at 936 Cranford Avenue Bronx NY.(47th precinct I believe) Three arrested. I believe one was sentenced but can’t recall what happened to the others. I was eighteen years old at the time. My grandmother now eighty-seven asked me if I could find the status on these men. It’s been a long time and I have forgotten the names of these individuals. Hoping to find out if they are still incarcerated.
    My aunt Denise Rivera was killed by a hit and run driver in June 2002 on Walton Ave. Bronx NY. (46th precinct) There was never an arrest for this case.All that we know is that it was a van that was driving down the road backwards that struck and killed her. Thank you so much for your time.

  • 24 Stacy Horn // Jan 5, 2015 at 3:29 pm

    In both cases you can call and ask. The number for the Detective Squad for the 47 Precinct is 718-920-1215. The number for the Detective Squad for the 46 Precinct is 718-220-5202 (it seems to me that there is almost never an arrest in hit and run cases). I am very sorry you lost your Aunt and Uncle.

  • 25 Valerie Metz // Jan 6, 2015 at 8:09 pm

    Thanks so much for getting back to me! I have been on your website checking for a response periodically. Just curious if these precincts will give me information considering I’m just the niece? I will have all the information that you have listed to have ready on your website. I am also not counting on an arrest in my aunts hit and run but will give it a shot. As for my uncle, reassuring my grandmother that these individuals are still in jail is important to me.
    Just wanted to tell you how wonderful you are for advising so many people on the the proper steps to take so they can get answers. I have been addicted to your website and reading everything on it. Can’t wait to read your book on my kindle!! I’m sure I wont be able to put it down. Thank you again for your time. God bless.
    Sincerely,
    Valerie Metz

  • 26 Stacy Horn // Jan 6, 2015 at 8:49 pm

    I am not sure what information you are asking for, so I can’t really answer that. You can explain that you are calling for your grandmother though. As far as seeing if the person who killed your uncle is still in jail you can look that up yourself. If you look over on the left under “Links” you’ll find “NY Inmate Lookup STATE.” You can go there and enter the person’s name and it will tell you their status.

    It is certainly my pleasure to help people if I can. (And thank you very much for buying my book.)

  • 27 Valerie Metz // Jan 6, 2015 at 9:43 pm

    Hi Stacy. Yes, I looked at that link but I have forgotten names of these men. I will call the Detective Squad for the 47 Precinct.
    Thanks again,
    Valerie Metz

  • 28 Leoni Leal // Jan 20, 2015 at 3:44 pm

    Hi, I don’t know if anyone can help but my boyfriend’s mother was killed when he was about 3 months of age. He’s been raised by another family and he’s really trying to find out who his mother is and what happened.. If anyone knows how I can help him find out this info, please e-mail.

  • 29 Stacy Horn // Jan 20, 2015 at 3:50 pm

    I’m sorry, I have no expertise in adoption searches. I’m sure there must be many adoption support groups and advocates who can advise him. If he is able to establish her identity I can advise him about how to find out more information about her murder.

  • 30 Simone Delizia // Jan 23, 2015 at 9:14 am

    Hello my name is simone, I am trying to find details about my aunt angel frascona , she was found stabbed to death in the stomach under an over pass in Brooklyn NY between the yrs of 1990-1995, she was believed to .be 16-17 at the time, police gave no leads at all , if u can help me somehow I would appreciate it

  • 31 Stacy Horn // Jan 23, 2015 at 9:33 am

    I’m sorry about your aunt. If you look over on the left on this blog, where it says, GETTING HELP – CONTACTING A COLD CASE SQUAD, and click on “Before You Contact a Cold Case Squad.” I’ve written instructions on what do to. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask.

  • 32 John // Jan 25, 2015 at 7:07 am

    my name is John G Luberza, Im trying to find out more about my mother she was murder in september 6 1968 in the Bronx New York.

  • 33 Stacy Horn // Jan 25, 2015 at 7:28 pm

    Hello. I’m very sorry about your mother. I can only repeat what I say to everyone: if you look over on the left on this blog, where it says, GETTING HELP – CONTACTING A COLD CASE SQUAD, and click on “Before You Contact a Cold Case Squad.” I’ve written instructions on what do to. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask.

  • 34 Rayg // Feb 17, 2015 at 4:30 pm

    Peace I come. My uncle ” Roy Glover” from New Brunswick New Jersey was murderd in New York City I believe in Harlem ….. the story I have from my
    Family was that he was thrown off a roof and that maybe it could of been a drug deal gone wrong .

  • 35 antoine esquilin // Feb 19, 2015 at 8:52 am

    My cousin Michael esquilin was killed in the Pink Houses projects in east new York Brooklyn in 1995
    Would like to know was an arrest made in his murder

  • 36 Stacy Horn // Feb 19, 2015 at 10:56 am

    Hello. I’m very sorry about your cousin. It looks like the case is still cold. If his family would like to contact the NYPD’s Cold Case Squad I would suggest clicking on the link “Before You Contact a Cold Case Squad,” over on the left on this blog. It’s under the heading, GETTING HELP – CONTACTING A COLD CASE SQUAD. I’ve written instructions on what do to. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask.

  • 37 Stacy Horn // Feb 19, 2015 at 11:01 am

    That’s terrible. I’m so sorry about your Uncle. If his case is cold and his family would like to contact the NYPD’s Cold Case Squad I would suggest clicking on the link “Before You Contact a Cold Case Squad,” over on the left on this blog. It’s under the heading, GETTING HELP – CONTACTING A COLD CASE SQUAD. I’ve written instructions on what do to. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask.

  • 38 James // Feb 22, 2015 at 7:00 pm

    Stacy, I find it just extraordinary how helpful you are to all of these people, most of whom clearly need at least the glimmer of hope for answers and ultimately, closure. You are certainly providing these people the proper guidance that they deserve, with what, on paper, seems to be the care and compassion of a priest or a country doctor.
    Bravo to you; you’ve done yeoman’s work indeed, and for several years!

  • 39 Stacy Horn // Mar 3, 2015 at 5:51 pm

    How kind of you to take the time to say! Thank you very much, that was nice to read, I appreciate it.

  • 40 Fatima Bohler // Mar 10, 2015 at 3:19 pm

    In 1986/1987 As a child i was left in a apartment with a women when i woke up she was dead. With a pillow over her head in im desperately trying to find out who this women was … Was this my Mother im just so confused as a child i was adopted in my adoptive mother changed my last name i always kept my biological last name just in case i ever found my real mother i no for a fact that this happen in one of the 5 boros in NYC and what makes it so bad the adoption agency that i was adopted thru is nolonger What can I do Please help

  • 41 Stacy Horn // Mar 10, 2015 at 3:32 pm

    This is not my area of expertise, and you’d have to supply more information in order to track down a possible murder, I’m afraid. What information has your adopted mother given you? What is your biological last name?

  • 42 Fatima Bohler // Mar 10, 2015 at 5:14 pm

    She hasnt given me any info i dont talk to her anymore. In my biological last name is (Bohler) in my mothers !st name was Charlene

  • 43 Stacy Horn // Mar 10, 2015 at 5:24 pm

    Well, since you are not sure that the woman who was dead when you woke up was your mother I would begin by trying to get a copy of your biological mother’s death certificate. If you are unable to find a death certificate for Charlene Bohler for those years then that would seem to indicate the woman wasn’t her.

    The link for NYC vital records is below. They will allow you to put a range if you are unsure of the date, and I also believe they will do a search on all boroughs.

    http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/html/services/vr-death-general.shtml

  • 44 yvonne figueroa // Mar 13, 2015 at 10:51 am

    Hi stacy, my name is yvonne figueroa, I’m trying to find out about a rumor maybe you can help me. My best friend since jhs Marisol Oquendo was belived to be murdered back in 1990-1995 in spanish harlem (el barrio). After we graducated from High School she married and her last name was Barbosa. I last spoke to her around july of 1990. I believed she lived aroind 120- 123st in spanish harlem. I tried facebook and no result. I will really appreciate it if you can shed some light on this horrible rumor. thanks

  • 45 Stacy Horn // Mar 13, 2015 at 3:42 pm

    I guess you should start by finding out whether or not she is really dead, and that she was murdered, and when. If you have no way of reaching her family, (have you tried?) I would start with the Social Security Death Index. You can access this on Ancestry.com. If you don’t have an Ancestry.com account you can use it for free at your local library. You can go to their website and see if it’s available at the branch closest to you.

    You can also use the Mormon’s website. It’s a little tricker to use, but you should be able to access the same information, it just take a little more digging:

    https://familysearch.org/

    Once you have the date you can contact the police precinct for more information.

  • 46 Name Removed // Mar 14, 2015 at 2:15 am

    So I met my boyfriend turned husband who confessed to killing a man.

    [The rest of this post has been deleted.]

  • 47 Stacy Horn // Mar 14, 2015 at 9:03 am

    I deleted most of your post because I didn’t think it was wise to post so much personal information about yourself publicly like that. As to your question about why won’t the police go undercover to investigate this possible crime: There are over 10,000 unsolved murders going back to 1985, and that’s just New York. Nationwide the number is much larger. Law enforcement agencies have to focus their limited resources on cases that have a chance of being solved. It’s an unfortunate truth. I don’t like it, I don’t know anyone who does. An undercover investigation is extremely time consuming, dangerous, and expensive and would only be undertaken, I believe, to take down a large criminal operation.

  • 48 drey spears // Mar 16, 2015 at 11:59 pm

    hi all,

    When I was 16 april 18 1989 my friend alberto “fun” carto was brutally murdered while he was waiting in his babymother/ex gf project building lobbby for her (she lived in the howard projects in brooklyn) They shot him 7 times in the head with an high calibre gun(his head was destroyed) the bm said she heard the shots while she was walking down the stairs. Its sad they killed my friend like that he was only 16 they didn’t have to do him like that. His babymother was also killed several months later on the floor she lived on (9th floor) july 6(1989) she was only 5 month preg. Polease can u help me I tried getting more info for years with no fuc***g luck. Before shawna (the bm) died she was saying some trigger happy kids probably did not like that he was not from the neighborhoodn killed him n stripped him of his shoes n jewellery but we were never sure if that was the case.

  • 49 C // Mar 18, 2015 at 1:22 pm

    Hi stacy is it possible for you to email me? Im not comfortable asking my question on here as it might put my life in jeopardy.

  • 50 Stacy Horn // Mar 18, 2015 at 4:56 pm

    The link for sending me email is over on the left.

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