Grisly new twist in 45-year mystery as cops ID decomposed body as missing NYC teen girl
The mystery surrounding the decomposed body of a young girl found dumped on Long Island in the 1980s has finally been solved. The body has been identified as 15-year-old Susan Mann, who went missing from Queens on May 17, 1980. Her remains were discovered in a Freeport dumpster over two years later, but her identity remained unknown until now.
The breakthrough in the case came through advanced DNA testing technology, which was not available at the time of the initial investigation. Nassau County Police Detective Capt. Stephen Fitzpatrick stated that they never give up on cold cases and credited the advancements in DNA testing for helping to solve the case.
Susan Mann disappeared after leaving her home on a bicycle to retrieve her sister’s stolen pocketbook and was never seen alive again. Her remains were found in a dumpster behind Cantor Glassworks in Freeport in 1982 but could not be matched to her at the time. The body was buried as a Jane Doe and was recently exhumed for DNA testing.
The FBI Investigative Genealogy Program was instrumental in identifying Susan Mann. It was determined that her body had likely been moved from a previous burial site to the location where it was found in 1982. The reasons for moving the body remain unknown, but it is speculated that the killer may have done so to avoid detection during a construction project in the area.
A $25,000 reward is now being offered by Crime Stoppers for information leading to an arrest in Susan Mann’s murder. The case, which was ruled a homicide, had few clues to work with, other than a necklace with the letter “K” found on the body.
The resolution of Susan Mann’s case has brought a mix of emotions for her family, who have been waiting for answers for over four decades. The investigation into her murder continues, and anyone with information is urged to come forward to help bring closure to this tragic cold case.
