Unidentified Victims In 2 Suffolk Murders Get New Leads: DA

SUFFOLK COUNTY, NY — In recognition of National Missing Persons Day, Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney is renewing a public appeal for assistance in identifying the remains of multiple unidentified victims whose cases remain open and under active investigation, the DA said.

According to the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office, new investigative information and updated visual renderings are being released in two longstanding cold cases — known as Medford Jane Doe and Bellport Jane Doe — in hopes that renewed attention and fresh details may generate new leads and ultimately restore the victims’ identities.

“We are asking the public to take a moment to read the information available and to look at these new renderings of the victims. We believe someone must know something,” Tierney said. “No tip is too small. Even a minor detail could help bring answers to families who have been waiting for far too long.”

The District Attorney’s Cold Case Task Force, which reviews unresolved homicides and unidentified remains across Suffolk County, developed additional forensic and genealogical insights in both cases and is urging residents to review the newly published materials.

Medford Jane Doe

The case known as Medford Jane Doe dates back more than three decades. Authorities said the victim was murdered by serial killer Robert Shulman and her dismembered remains were discovered on the morning of Dec. 7, 1994, inside a blue Rubbermaid garbage can placed along the side of a road in Medford.

Investigators determined the victim was a white female believed to be between 20 and 30 years old at the time of her death. She was approximately 5 feet 1 inch tall and weighed about 135 pounds. One of the most distinctive identifying features was a tattoo on her upper left shoulder that included the name “Adrian.”

Recent advances in genetic genealogy provided additional clarity about the victim’s ancestry. According to prosecutors, the victim is Caucasian with Western European lineage, with at least 75 percent of her ancestry traceable to England, Scotland, and Wales.

As part of the renewed appeal, the Cold Case Task Force released multiple updated visual aids intended to help the public better recognize the victim as she may have appeared while alive. These materials include a clay facial reconstruction — a three-dimensional model built upon the skull to approximate facial features, an updated composite sketch reflecting the likely appearance before death, and a revised composite rendering of the tattoo’s original appearance before decomposition.

Officials said even minor recollections — such as someone remembering a person with a similar tattoo or physical description who disappeared in the mid-1990s — could prove significant.

Bellport Jane Doe

The second renewed investigation centers on Bellport Jane Doe, whose death dates back to 1983. Prosecutors said the victim had been living on Michigan Avenue in Bellport at the time she was murdered by her landlord, Arthur Kinlaw.

Authorities believe the victim was known to acquaintances as “Marie” or “Maria.” She was described as a Black or Hispanic woman who weighed approximately 300 pounds and required the assistance of a walker due to a severe leg injury. Investigators said she had previously shattered her femur, which contributed to her limited mobility.

The Cold Case Task Force is now releasing an updated composite sketch depicting how the victim likely appeared before her death, hoping the revised image will resonate with former neighbors, coworkers or acquaintances who may have known her under a different name.

The Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office said that all tips are treated confidentially and that even partial or uncertain information can assist investigators. Members of the public are encouraged to review detailed case summaries, forensic renderings, and newly released materials available through the DA’s cold case portal.

Officials said renewed public engagement often leads to breakthroughs in cases that have remained dormant for years, particularly when updated forensic science and visual reconstructions are combined with community memory.

The Cold Case Task Force continues to evaluate additional unidentified remains cases across Suffolk County and will release further information as new developments occur, prosecutors said.