2 Murder Victims Identified Nearly 50 Years After Bodies Found In Suffolk: DA

DEER PARK, NY — Two homicide victims whose identities remained a mystery for nearly 50 years have finally been identified, including a man found shot and severely burned in Deer Park and a woman whose skeletal remains were discovered buried at Heckscher State Park, Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney said Thursday.

The victims, previously known as "Raymond Doe" and "Heckscher Jane Doe," were identified as Ramon Perez y Rivera and Antoinette Rugg, respectively, through advances in DNA technology and investigative genetic genealogy.

Their identifications were among six announced Thursday by the Suffolk County Cold Case Task Force, a partnership between the District Attorney's Office and Suffolk County Police Department.

"Every person deserves to be known by their name, and every victim deserves answers and justice," Tierney said. "Five decades have passed since the first of these individuals was found deceased, but our commitment to identifying them and pursuing justice has never wavered."

Ramon Perez y Rivera — Deer Park, 1976

On Nov. 27, 1976, three people hunting rabbits in Deer Park discovered the body of a man who had been severely burned, prosecutors said.

The victim was found lying face up around 10:30 a.m. in an area about 400 feet north of Long Island Avenue and eight-tenths of a mile east of Commack Road, Tierney said during Thursday's news conference.

The hunters immediately notified law enforcement.

Investigators determined that the man had suffered a gunshot wound to his lower right abdomen, which caused his death.

A tattoo bearing the name "Raymond" on the victim's left upper arm provided investigators with one of their few clues to his identity. For nearly five decades, he was known only as "Raymond Doe."

Investigators have now identified him as Ramon Perez y Rivera, a native of Arecibo, Puerto Rico, who was born in October 1935.

Rivera was approximately 41 years old when he was killed.

According to prosecutors, Rivera's last documented proof of life was an April 17, 1950, census record in which he was listed as "Raymond." At that time, he was living in the South Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn.

During Thursday's news conference, Tierney said investigators had recently met with members of Rivera's family, who voluntarily provided DNA samples.

Subsequent kinship DNA testing confirmed Rivera's identity, providing his relatives with answers nearly 50 years after his body was discovered.

Rivera's family members were unable to attend the news conference but asked Tierney to convey their gratitude to investigators and requested that the public pray for him.

Antoinette Rugg — Heckscher State Park, 1978

On April 2, 1978, a person walking a dog along a beach at Heckscher State Park discovered what appeared to be human remains after the dog began scratching at loose sand, prosecutors said.

The dog exposed the top of what appeared to be a human skull, prompting the person to contact authorities.

Police responded and excavated the area, uncovering skeletal remains buried in the sand.

Investigators observed a belt tightly wrapped around the victim's neck, and an autopsy determined that the woman had died from strangulation, prosecutors said.

During Thursday's news conference, Tierney said the remains were discovered approximately 150 feet from the waterline on a beach that had been closed to the public for several years.

For nearly 48 years, the victim was known only as "Heckscher Jane Doe."

Investigators have now identified her as Antoinette Rugg, who was born Aug. 2, 1951.

Rugg was 26 years old when she died and was the mother of a 10-year-old boy. Her last known residence was on South First Street in Lindenhurst, Tierney said. Rugg's son attended Thursday's news conference.

DNA Technology Helps Solve Decades-Old Mysteries

Rivera and Rugg were identified through next-generation sequencing and investigative genetic genealogy, according to prosecutors.

In both cases, investigators had previously developed traditional DNA profiles from the victims' remains and uploaded them to the FBI's Combined DNA Index System, known as CODIS, but the searches failed to produce matches.

The Cold Case Task Force subsequently used more advanced DNA analysis to help identify the victims through genetic genealogy.

The technology allows investigators to develop detailed genetic profiles, identify potential relatives and build family trees that can lead to the identities of previously unknown individuals.

Tierney said the identifications demonstrate the importance of expanding the technology's use in New York's public forensic laboratories. He testified in support of next-generation sequencing before the New York State Commission on Forensic Science and its DNA Subcommittee on Oct. 9. and said the technology helps provide answers to families who have spent decades wondering what happened to their loved ones.

"It's maybe a little bit of an overstatement, but it provides them with information that they desperately needed or sought," Tierney said. "It's a tremendous help to them."

No criminal charges have been filed in either homicide case, and investigators continue to seek information about the circumstances surrounding Rivera's and Rugg's deaths.

"For far too long, these victims remained unidentified, but they were never forgotten," Suffolk County Police Commissioner Kevin Catalina said. "Advances in forensic science and the persistence of the District Attorney's Cold Case Unit, which includes Suffolk County Police detectives, have finally given us their names. Our work is not done and we remain committed to uncovering the circumstances of their deaths."

Anyone with information is asked to contact Suffolk County Crime Stoppers at 1-800-220-TIPS. Translation services are available.