The Gilgo Beach Killer Just Pled Guilty — Here Are 16 Other Cold Cases That Were Reopened Or Even Solved Many, Many, Many Years Later

Warning: Graphic contented ahead, including stories of intersexual battle and murder.

1. The Gilgo Beach serial killings (2010, NY) — Case reopened 12 years later.

ZUMA Press, Inc. / Alamy

Trigger for Reopening: Task unit reboot (2022)
Outcome / Current Status: Rex Heuermann arrested and charged successful 2023, pled guilty connected April 8, 2026.

Between 2010 and 2011, the remains of astatine slightest 10 victims — mostly women connected to the enactment commercialized — were discovered on a agelong of Ocean Parkway adjacent Gilgo Beach connected Long Island, New York. Despite monolithic media attraction and aggregate investigative efforts, the lawsuit went acold for much than a decade.

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In 2022, a caller inter-agency task unit reexamined integer and carnal grounds with precocious forensic tools. Investigators utilized cellphone records, surveillance footage, and DNA from a discarded pizza container to place Rex Heuermann arsenic the premier suspect. Heuermann was arrested successful July 2023 and charged with aggregate murders.

By 2025, prosecutors had charged Heuermann with 7 murders successful total, and a justice ruled that each charges would beryllium tried unneurotic successful a single consolidated trial successful 2026. The tribunal has besides approved the usage of cutting-edge whole-genome DNA grounds linking Heuermann to respective victims — a large precedent successful New York forensic law.

Heuermann pled blameworthy connected April 8, 2026, aft weeks of mounting indications that helium would debar trial. In court, helium admitted to sidesplitting aggregate women implicit decades — including respective of the victims agelong associated with the Gilgo Beach lawsuit — bringing a abrupt solution to what had been shaping up to beryllium a high-profile trial. The plea is expected to effect successful aggregate beingness sentences and brings a measurement of closure to a lawsuit that had remained unsolved for years.

2. Theresa Fusco (1984, New York) — Case reopened astir 40 years later.

Sixteen-year-old Theresa Fusco vanished successful November 1984, aft leaving her occupation astatine a roller-skating rink successful Lynbrook, New York. Her nude assemblage was recovered weeks later, successful aboriginal December, buried nether leaves successful adjacent woods, having been sexually assaulted and strangled.

In 1986, 3 men were convicted of her murder, but their convictions were overturned successful 2003 aft precocious DNA investigating excluded them.

The lawsuit was formally reopened successful aboriginal 2024, erstwhile investigators began surveilling a caller fishy aft processing "multiple investigative leads" and aboriginal recovered a discarded smoothie cupful and straw helium had used.

On Oct. 15, 2025, authorities announced that 63-year-old Richard Bilodeau had been indicted for the transgression based connected a DNA lucifer from the straw retrieved. Bilodeau, who was surviving with his grandparents successful Lynbrook astatine the clip of the murder, pleaded not blameworthy and faces up to 25 years to beingness if convicted. However, connected March 6, 2026, his attorneys filed a 40-page question arguing that the indictment should beryllium dismissed due to the fact that the prosecution's lawsuit is wholly circumstantial and lacks nonstop evidence.

3. Leslie Preer (2001, MD) — Case reopened implicit 20 years later.

Leslie Preer, a parent and woman surviving successful the Chevy Chase, Maryland area, was recovered strangled and with terrible caput trauma successful her location successful May 2001. For decades, detectives pursued dozens of leads that went nowhere, and her household watched the lawsuit slice into cold-case status. Then, successful 2022, advances successful forensic genealogy breathed caller beingness into the investigation.

By tracing a partial DNA illustration from the transgression country done a nationalist genealogy database, investigators identified a distant comparative of the killer. The way yet led to a erstwhile neighbour who had lived conscionable blocks distant from Leslie astatine the clip of her murder.

In 2025, the fishy — Eugene Gligor, who years earlier had dated Leslie’s daughter, Lauren Preer — pleaded blameworthy to second-degree murder. At sentencing, Gligor claimed helium had “blacked out” owed to intoxicant and cocaine use, remembered entering Preer’s house, but could not explicate wherefore helium killed her. He was sentenced to 22 years successful situation successful August 2025.

4. Pamela Conyers (1970, MD) — Case reopened 52 years later.

Sixteen-year-old Pamela Lynn Conyers disappeared successful October 1970 aft attending a pep rally astatine Glen Burnie High School. Four days later, her assemblage was discovered successful a wooded country disconnected Route 100 successful Anne Arundel County. The lawsuit haunted investigators for much than fractional a century.

Although some men are deceased and cannot beryllium charged, authorities accidental the lawsuit remains unfastened arsenic they proceed reviewing its history. Investigators noted that determination is nary grounds to suggest that Forrest Clyde Williams III oregon Donald Willard knew Pamela Lynn Conyers, and they are continuing to analyse immoderate imaginable relation oregon nexus betwixt them.

5. Kristin Smart (1996, CA) — Case reopened 25 years later.

In May 1996, Cal Poly pupil Kristin Smart vanished aft a assemblage enactment successful San Luis Obispo. Despite aggravated searches and nationalist coverage, nary hint of her was found, and the lawsuit went acold for decades. Her disappearance became 1 of California’s astir infamous unsolved mysteries.

In 2019, the true-crime podcast Your Own Backyard reexamined the case, sparking caller witnesser tips and renewed instrumentality enforcement interest. Detectives dug into aged files and yet focused again connected Paul Flores, a chap pupil who had been the past idiosyncratic seen with Kristin.

After searches uncovered forensic grounds accordant with quality humor adjacent Flores’s home, helium was charged successful 2021 and convicted successful 2022 of her murder. In March 2023, helium was sentenced to 25 years to beingness successful prison. Her assemblage has inactive ne'er been found, but the verdict yet gave her household the justness they had waited astir 30 years to see.

6. Michelle Martinko (1979, IA) — Case reopened 39 years later.

Eighteen-year-old Michelle Martinko was recovered brutally stabbed to decease wrong her family’s Buick successful the parking batch of a Cedar Rapids promenade conscionable earlier Christmas 1979. The sidesplitting shocked the quiescent Iowa town, and for decades, investigators had small much than a humor illustration from the car arsenic evidence.

Then successful 2018, cold-case detectives submitted that illustration for familial genealogy investigating — a comparatively caller investigative instrumentality that compares DNA to nationalist ancestry databases. The results pointed to a antheral named Jerry Burns, who had ne'er appeared connected constabulary radar before.

After obtaining a DNA illustration from a straw helium discarded, investigators confirmed the match. Burns was arrested astir 40 years aft the transgression and, successful 2020, a assemblage recovered him blameworthy of first-degree murder. He was sentenced to beingness successful situation without the anticipation of parole, closing 1 of Iowa’s astir haunting acold cases.

7. April Tinsley (1988, IN) — Case reopened 30 years later.

Eight-year-old April Tinsley disappeared portion walking location from a friend’s location successful Fort Wayne, Indiana, successful April 1988. Her assemblage was recovered 3 days aboriginal successful a ditch 20 miles away. Over the adjacent 3 decades, her slayer taunted constabulary and the nationalist — adjacent leaving chilling notes adjacent children’s bicycles, claiming responsibility.

The lawsuit broke unfastened successful 2018 erstwhile detectives combined DNA phenotyping (which generated composite sketches from familial material) with forensic genealogy to hint the suspect’s household line. The probe led to John D. Miller, a section mill idiosyncratic whose discarded trash provided a DNA match.

When confronted, Miller confessed to abducting, raping, and murdering April. He pleaded blameworthy successful December 2018 and was sentenced to 80 years successful situation (two consecutive 40-year terms) — ending a 30-year nightmare that had haunted the Fort Wayne community. Miller died successful situation successful September 2025.

8. Michella Welch (1986, WA) — Case reopened 32 years later.

In March 1986, 12-year-old Michella Welch was abducted from Puget Park successful Tacoma, Washington, portion riding her bike. Her assemblage was discovered hours aboriginal successful a adjacent ravine, showing signs of intersexual battle and blunt-force trauma. Despite tireless efforts, the lawsuit grew acold arsenic the years passed.

In 2018, the Tacoma constabulary partnered with forensic genealogy experts to reanalyze DNA from the transgression scene. Using family-tree information and humanities records, investigators traced the familial worldly to Gary Charles Hartman, a caregiver who had lived adjacent the parkland astatine the time. Detectives collected his DNA from a discarded napkin, confirming the match.

Hartman was arrested successful 2018 and, aft a lengthy pre-trial process, was convicted successful 2022 of first-degree execution and first-degree rape. He was sentenced to beingness successful situation without parole, bringing long-awaited justness astir 4 decades aft Michella’s murder.

9. Jennifer Bastian (1986, WA) — Case reopened 32 years later.

Thirteen-year-old Jennifer Bastian vanished connected Aug. 4, 1986, portion riding her motorcycle done Point Defiance Park successful Tacoma, Washington — conscionable 4 months aft 12-year-old Michella Welch had been abducted and killed nearby. The eerie similarities betwixt the 2 cases led investigators and the nationalist to judge for decades that the aforesaid idiosyncratic was responsible.

In 2018, however, advances successful forensic investigating yet distinguished the DNA grounds from the 2 murders. The caller investigation revealed that the crimes were unrelated and pointed investigators toward a caller fishy successful Jennifer’s case. Using forensic genealogy, detectives identified Robert Dwane Washburn, a retired mechanic who had erstwhile adjacent volunteered tips astir the lawsuit to police. After collecting his DNA from a discarded insubstantial cup, they confirmed the match.

Washburn pleaded blameworthy successful May 2019 to Jennifer’s execution and was sentenced to 26 years and 6 months successful prison. His confession — and the DNA grounds that separated the 2 long-linked cases — yet brought closure to 1 of Tacoma’s astir haunting treble mysteries.

10. Sherri Rasmussen (1986, CA) — Case reopened 23 years later.

Sherri Rasmussen, a 29-year-old infirmary nursing director, was recovered beaten and changeable to decease successful her Los Angeles condo successful 1986. Detectives initially ruled the transgression a botched burglary — but Sherri’s household suspected otherwise, particularly fixed her tense narration with her husband’s ex-girlfriend, LAPD serviceman Stephanie Lazarus.

For decades, the lawsuit sat dormant. Then successful 2009, a cold-case DNA reappraisal revealed thing shocking: the saliva connected a wound people near connected Sherri’s limb matched Lazarus’s DNA. Investigators softly built their case, gathering her familial worldly from a discarded cup.

Lazarus was arrested wrong LAPD office and, successful 2012, was convicted of first-degree execution and sentenced to 27 years to beingness successful prison. The revelation that 1 of their ain had killed Sherri Rasmussen sent shockwaves done the Los Angeles Police Department and remains 1 of the astir infamous cases of police-involved homicide successful US history.

11. Lindy Sue Biechler (1975, PA) — Case reopened 47 years later.

Nineteen-year-old Lindy Sue Biechler was recovered stabbed to decease successful her Lancaster, Pennsylvania, flat connected Dec. 5, 1975, conscionable earlier Christmas. Investigators collected DNA and cigaret butts from the scene, but nary fishy emerged contempt decades of effort and hundreds of interviews.

In 2022, utilizing precocious forensic-genealogy techniques, detectives traced the crime-scene DNA to David Sinopoli, an 80-year-old Lancaster antheral who had lived successful the aforesaid flat analyzable arsenic Lindy Sue astatine the clip of her murder. Police confirmed the lucifer utilizing DNA helium discarded successful a java cupful astatine Philadelphia International Airport, and arrested him astir fractional a period later.

Sinopoli pleaded guilty successful December 2023 to third-degree execution and was sentenced to 25–50 years successful prison.

12. Carla Walker (1974, TX) — Case reopened 46 years later.

Seventeen-year-old Carla Walker was kidnapped from her boyfriend’s car aft a high-school Valentine’s creation successful Fort Worth, Texas, connected Feb. 17, 1974. Her assemblage was recovered 3 days aboriginal successful a culvert adjacent Benbrook Lake, brutally beaten, sexually assaulted, and strangled. Despite hundreds of leads and nationalist attention, the lawsuit went acold for decades.

In 2020, a caller squad of detectives reexamined a tiny DNA illustration preserved from Carla’s clothing. Using precocious investigating unavailable successful the 1970s, they identified a familial illustration matching Glen Samuel McCurley, a section antheral who had been questioned successful 1974 but ne'er charged. When investigators obtained DNA from his household trash, the lucifer was confirmed.

McCurley, past 78, pleaded blameworthy successful August 2021 during his proceedings and was sentenced to beingness successful prison. He died successful custody successful June 2024.

13. Mandy Stavik (1989, WA) — Case reopened 28 years later.

Eighteen-year-old Mandy Stavik disappeared portion jogging adjacent her location successful agrarian Washington the time aft Thanksgiving successful 1989. Her assemblage was recovered days aboriginal successful a adjacent river.

Nearly 3 decades later, detectives received a important extremity from a erstwhile coworker of Timothy Bass, who told constabulary helium had made unsettling comments astir the lawsuit and acted secretive astir his belongings. Bass had lived little than a mile from Mandy’s location successful 1989, and investigators believed helium abducted her portion she was jogging past his house. When they collected DNA from a plastic cup Bass had used, it matched semen recovered from the victim.

Investigators said the onslaught appeared to beryllium sexually motivated and opportunistic, with nary anterior transportation betwixt Bass and Mandy. Bass was convicted successful May 2019 of first-degree execution and sentenced to 26½ years successful prison.

14. “Boy successful the Box” / Joseph Augustus Zarelli (1957, PA) — Case reopened 65 years later.

In February 1957, the assemblage of a tiny lad was discovered wrapped successful a broad wrong a cardboard container successful northeast Philadelphia. He was betwixt 4 and 6 years old, malnourished, and severely beaten — but nary 1 ever came guardant to assertion him. The enigma of the “Boy successful the Box” haunted generations, becoming 1 of America’s astir celebrated unsolved cases.

For decades, detectives and amateur sleuths tried to springiness the lad backmost his name. Then, successful December 2022, forensic genealogists yet did. Through painstaking DNA investigation and family-tree reconstruction, investigators identified him arsenic Joseph Augustus Zarelli, calved successful 1953. In 2024, authorities besides confirmed the identities of his parents, though some are present deceased and are not considered suspects. The lawsuit remains unfastened arsenic constabulary enactment to find who killed Joseph and why. After decades of silence, his sanction is yet known — a tiny but profound triumph successful 1 of the nation’s oldest cold-case homicides.

15. Stephen Lawrence (1993, UK) — Case reopened 18 years later.

Eighteen-year-old Stephen Lawrence was murdered successful a racially motivated onslaught portion waiting for a autobus successful Eltham, southeast London, connected April 22, 1993. The archetypal probe was marred by constabulary mishandling and organization racism, sparking nationalist outrage and starring to the landmark Macpherson Report (1999), which exposed systemic racism successful the Metropolitan Police.

After years of tireless campaigning by Stephen’s parents, a 2010 forensic reappraisal uncovered microscopic blood, fibers, and hairsbreadth linking 2 longtime suspects — Gary Dobson and David Norris — to the transgression scene.

Both men were convicted successful January 2012 of execution and sentenced to beingness successful prison, astir 2 decades aft Stephen’s death.

16. Etan Patz (1979, NY) — Case reopened 31 years later.

Six-year-old Etan Patz vanished connected his mode to the schoolhouse autobus successful Manhattan connected May 25, 1979, becoming 1 of the archetypal missing children to person his photograph printed connected beverage cartons. His disappearance changed however America viewed kid information — but for decades, the lawsuit remained unsolved.

In 2010, Manhattan prosecutors reopened the probe with caller eyes, re-interviewing witnesses and pursuing long-dismissed leads. Two years later, Pedro Hernandez, who had worked astatine a adjacent bodega, confessed to luring Etan into a basement and sidesplitting him.

Although Etan’s assemblage was ne'er found, Hernandez was convicted successful 2017 of execution and kidnapping and sentenced to 25 years to life. In July 2025, however, a national appeals tribunal overturned the condemnation and ordered a caller trial, ruling that his confession should person been suppressed owed to concerns astir his intelligence competency.

In November 2025, the Manhattan territory attorney's bureau officially announced its intent to retry Hernandez for a 3rd time, stating that the disposable grounds inactive supports the charges. A national justice has since acceptable a strict June 1, 2026 deadline for assemblage enactment to begin. If the retrial does not commencement by that date, Hernandez indispensable beryllium released.

17. Finally, Cheryl Grimmer (1970, Australia) — Case reopened 46 years later.

Three-year-old Cheryl Gene Grimmer vanished from Fairy Meadow Beach adjacent Wollongong, New South Wales, connected Jan. 12, 1970, moments aft her parent and brothers stepped into a adjacent ablution block. Despite frantic searches and nationwide attention, nary hint of her was ever found.

The lawsuit haunted New South Wales for decades. In 2016, detectives reopened the probe and uncovered a long-forgotten constabulary connection from a teenage lad who had confessed to sidesplitting Cheryl successful 1971 — though helium was ne'er charged due to the fact that his confession was ruled inadmissible arsenic helium was an underage 17-year-old questioned without a genitor oregon lawyer present, and the justice recovered the interrogation unfair and unreliable. After reexamining the evidence, constabulary identified the aforesaid man, known arsenic "Mercury," present successful his 60s, arsenic a fishy and charged him successful 2017 with Cheryl’s abduction and murder. But successful 2019, a justice again ruled the confession inadmissible, starring to the charges being dropped.

In October 2025, a New South Wales person publically named the suspect, Stephen John Humphries, successful parliament and work retired his antecedently hidden confession, bringing the lawsuit backmost into the spotlight and putting unit connected constabulary to reopen the investigation. In aboriginal 2026, the probe saw a large displacement erstwhile the NSW Director of Public Prosecutions launched a ceremonial reappraisal to find if charges could yet beryllium laid.