Nassau County homicide detectives have released new information in connection to a cold case dating back to 1980, which involves the death of a 15-year-old named Susan Mann, whose body was found years later in Freeport. Mann, known to her family as Suzy, vanished from Queens and her case has remained unsolved for over four decades, as reported by ABC7NY.
In a fresh development, Suzy's identity was confirmed through investigative genealogy, after detectives had her body, initially buried as a 'Jane Doe,' exhumed in 2023. The FBI’s New York Investigative Genealogy Program made the familial DNA match, allowing for this breakthrough, as detailed by NBC New York. The detectives now believe she was buried and moved posthumously from an original burial site to the dumpster where she was eventually discovered in 1982.
Commanding officer of the Nassau County homicide squad, Stephen Fitzpatrick, stressed the importance of community assistance in these cases. "We're looking for anybody that would have known her, would have been in the Freeport area during that time in '80 to '82 or anybody that thinks they have some kind of information that would lead to a suspect or an investigative lead to an arrest," Fitzpatrick told ABC7NY.
Neighbors and friends responded with a mix of emotions upon the identification of Mann's remains. "For years, years, years, nobody knew what happened to her," family friend Daniel Little shared in a statement obtained by NBC New York. Suzy was last seen wearing a striped top, blue jeans, and sandals, and her clothing, along with jewelry, were said to be found on her body, suggesting that robbery was likely not the motive behind her disappearance and death.
With the case remaining open and the suspect unidentified, Nassau police are asking the public to come forward with any information. To assist in resolving Suzy's murder, which has remained unsolved for nearly 50 years, they have announced a $25,000 Crime Stoppers reward for tips leading to a resolution. "The case is 45 years old, many people have passed. If we can't charge anyone with the murder, at least the family will have some closure," Captain Fitzpatrick explained, as reported by NBC New York.
