FAMILY REUNION WEEKEND SINCE 1926 EXTEND THE JOY OF THANKSGIVING! Resort & Spa PER COUPLE NOV 25 TO NOV 27 *PLUS TAX & $404 SERVICE CHARGE INCLUDES 2 NIGHTS ACCOMMODATIONS, MEALS, FAMILY ACTIVITIES, MONTAUK, NEW YORK USE OF THE SEA WATER SPA FACILITIES AND MUCH MORE! Cover Story In 1980, a young woman got on a bus to New York and was never seen again. Thirty years later her sister Maureen is still Looking For Judy

As FBI helicopters were conducting flyovers of Jones Beach Island and a dive team scoured the bottom of Hemlock Cove this past April searching for more possible bodies along Ocean Parkway where 10 sets of human remains were found, at least four of which are believed to be the victims of the same killer, Maureen Sanchez anxiously awaited the release of the identities of the so-called Long Island Serial Killer’s victims. The first woman, 22-year old mother Megan Waterman, was identified, followed by Maureen Brainard-Barnes, 25; Amber Lynn Costello, 27; and Melissa Barthelemy, 24. Maureen thought her sister Judy O’Donnell, 19, could be one of them. Like Judy, all of these women had worked as prostitutes in New York at the time of their disappearance, before they were found within a mile of each other in the brush of Ocean Parkway. Weeks later came another ID—Jessica Taylor, 23. Taylor, who also worked as a prostitute in the days leading to her disappearance, even worked the same streets near the Port Authority in Manhattan as Judy did, before IDs to be made by investigators. For the past three decades, Maureen has her head, hands and leg bone were found in a But there is one major difference between been waiting for her sister to come home. plastic bag, just down the road from the head, Judy and the Long Island victims so far. Judy hands and leg bones of another woman, who went missing 30 years ago. Ribbons Undone remains unidentified, all in line with the first “She would be 50 years old today,” says When Maureen was asked about her four victims, along Ocean Parkway. Maureen. “She’s been missing longer than we sister she was told by her parents to say one Taylor’s decapitated, nude body had been had her here.” thing: Judy is working at a bank in Midtown. found in the Manorville Pine Barrens in 2003. The last time Maureen saw her sister it Prostitution and drugs weren’t things families The decapitated, nude body of the - uniden was a few days after Thanksgiving, in 1980, talked about. They were especially unaccept- tified woman, was also found in the Pine she tells the Press. Maureen was 14 years old able in the small upstate New York town of Barrens, not far from where Taylor’s body was and in the middle of her freshman year of Oswego. discovered, in 2000. Both of their cases had high school. She and her family, in Baltimore “My parents were embarrassed because gone cold. Both of them weren’t Judy. for the holiday, dropped Judy off at the bus they knew she had been arrested for prostitu- “That’s someone’s daughter,” says station and hugged and kissed her goodbye, tion, they knew that she had sold drugs, they Maureen. “For many people this is such an then made their way back upstate by car to knew she was involved in bad things, they awful story and it’s horrifying, but for other their hometown of Oswego. knew she hitchhiked,” says Maureen. “It was people like me, it gives me hope that maybe Judy was headed back to New York City, a different time then, holding family secrets my sister could be put to rest appropriately.” still hoping to become an actress and a singer. was something people did.” Two more of the bodies, while still Maureen was supposed to see her again in a And although no one had heard from unidentified, were determined by medical few weeks for Christmas and would no doubt her, Judy wasn’t necessarily missing, either. examiners to be that of an Asian man and a talk to her on the phone before then. But She was over 18 and she had taken off to little girl. Still not Judy. the calls never came and, when Christmas NYC before. So, as is often the case with Maureen is now waiting for the final two arrived, neither did Judy. women who live and work on the streets, who

By Jaclyn Gallucci [email protected]

16 Long IsL and Press for august 18 - august 24, 2011 | www.longislandpress.com n e w s c o l u m n s Features Press PL ay F o o d c lassiF ied The last photo taken of Judy (top, center) often disappear for periods of on Nov. 30, 1980, before she headed time by the nature of their back to New York City after spending lifestyle, a missing persons report Thanksgiving with her family in Baltimore. wasn’t immediately filed. And before her body was dis- covered at the beach, Amber Lynn “I remember Costello, last seen on her way to meet a client, had never been reported how she used missing by her family, something many predators count on. to hitchhike. I “I knew they would not be told her I didn’t reported missing right away and might never be reported missing,” like it and that , the infamous Green River Killer who confessed to killing I didn’t think it up to 71 women over a 20-year period, said in his confessional statement in was safe to do.” 2001. “I picked prostitutes because I thought I could kill as many of them just a few years before. But the next year Judy began where Judy attended—who years as I wanted without getting caught.” A young girl with a beautiful drinking, experimenting with drugs later admitted to having a sexual rela- But Judy’s presence didn’t go smile and blue eyes, Judy was and taking risks that were out of tionship with a student whom he had unnoticed. She had always called outgoing, friendly and talented. She character for her, according to friends gotten drunk, and was the subject of home while she was away and the was on the gymnastics team and the and family. a $20 million lawsuit filed against the phone calls immediately stopped, swim team. She wrote poetry and was “I remember how she used to Roman Catholic Diocese of Syracuse, although Maureen says the visit had picked multiple times to enter her hitchhike,” says Rebecca Schermer- according to published news reports its tense moments and she wouldn’t work in writing competitions. horn, Judy’s childhood friend. “I told —called home and said 15-year-old be surprised if Judy had decided to Her middle school yearbook her I didn’t like it and that I didn’t Judy needed to be picked up, that keep her distance for awhile, even page reads, “Hi! I’m Judy O’Donnell. think it was safe to do. Judy was very she was at the convent and she was years maybe, but not decades. I’m 14 years old…I’m the ‘middle trusting, and very friendly and chatty drunk. A free spirit, Judy spent her child…I have braces (I hate them). I with people she had just met.” Judy’s friend Rebecca has also nights at Studio 54 and hanging out really love animals…I like to dance, During this same time, Maureen come forward with information in the East Village and Hell’s Kitchen. play music and sing and help people says a priest and guidance counselor But things started out very differently solve their problems.” at Oswego Catholic High School ContInued on Page 18

DON’T ASSUME IT WAS LEFT BY ACCIDENT. IF YOU SEE SOMETHING, SAY SOMETHING. TELL A COP OR AN MTA EMPLOYEE OR CALL 1-888-NYC-SAFE.

Funding provided by grants from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

n e w s c o l u m n s Features Press PL ay F o o d c lassiF ied www.longislandpress.com | Long IsL and Press for august 18 - august 24, 2011 17

BLEED... MTA HQS N11 050E TRIM...... 8.75.” x 5.576” BUS “GYM BAG” LIVE...... 4C May 12, 2011 11:35 AM DAILY NEWS \ LONG ISLAND PRESS regarding a rape Judy had told her happened while she was “I would sit on hitchhiking. “Something happened, I don’t hotel phones know what,” says Maureen, who is sure that someone hurt her sister. and use these “Something happened along the line and it turned her from a spirited phone cards youth to a troubled youth.” and call and Just a few years later, Judy left for New York City “to be a star,” Maureen call and call says. But instead she ended up living on the streets of Hell’s Kitchen and anybody with was arrested for prostitution more than once. any name. Rebecca says that around that time Judy had been hanging around Anybody with with a guy that went by the name of Angel Rivera. anything that “I remember that she was hanging around one guy from New York could possibly City. She mentioned him a lot,” says Rebecca. “I always wondered whether have anything he was questioned by the police, or if he had anything to do with Judy’s to do with disappearance. When Judy disap- peared I made it a point to remember Judy...” his name—I’ve remembered it for 30 years.” Maureen took this information Just a few yards away she is to investigators but they said it was buried. Her headstone, paid for by simply too big a task to go through local members of the community at everyone by that name in New York. the time, reads “Princess Doe, Missing ˆ ere are nearly 200 Rivera’s, from Home, Dead among strangers, 13 of which have the legal name Remembered by All, Born ? – Found of “Angel”—Angel could also be a July 15, 1982.” nickname—listed on the NYS Sex “She was found beaten beyond OŽ ender Registry and 51 Angel recognition,” says Tony Evelina, New Rivera’s with current criminal court York area director of the Doe Network, cases pending in the New York State a volunteer organization that tracks Court System. missing persons cases. “[Police] Add that information to the believe she was from Long Island but fact that there are more than 3,000 they have no way of proving it.” women in the United States, listed Blairstown police said she had by the Department of Justice that are extensive dental work, indicating she currently reported missing under sus- probably belonged to an upper middle picious circumstances, any of whom class family, and was most likely a could be connected to Judy’s disap- runaway and prostitute from the pearance—or not—and the possibili- New York area, according to her case ties are not only overwhelming, they ¤ le. But no one ever came forward seem endless. Maureen was gradually claiming her and the case gradually sifting through all of them, when faded from the media. she came across the case of “Princess “For awhile her case was getting Doe,” a young girl found dead in a good attention,” says Evelina. “Maybe New Jersey cemetery in 1982—just a when the anniversary comes up they’ll few months and year after she had said throw a little article up.” goodbye to Judy. Maureen came across a website, where people were suggesting possible matches for Princess Doe. Judith Erin Time After Time O’Donnell was listed as one of them. ˆ ere are ˜ owers scattered down It looked like a promising possi- the steep 30-foot bank where Princess bility until, once again, dental records Doe was found by maintenance cleared Judy as a match. workers of the Cedar Ridge Cemetery But over the years, Maureen in the rural community of Blairstown, hasn’t let the misses slow her down tossed down by various strangers and has never excluded any possible who still remember the girl who, for scenario, even that her sister had decades, has remained nameless. It’s merely decided to create a new life for

been 29 years this July. CONTINUED ON PAGE 36

18 LONG ISLAND PRESS for AUGUST 18 - AUGUST 24, 2011 | WWW.LONGISLANDPRESS.COM N E W S C O L U M N S FEATURES PRESS PLAY F O O D C L A S S I F I E D Cover Story continued From page 18

herself somewhere else. Maureen holds out a strange kind of “I would sit on hotel phones and hope—the hope that she could finally use these phone cards and call and have the answers she has so desperately call and call anybody with any name,” been seeking and the hope that it’s not Looking for better heating oil prices? she says. “Anybody with anything her sister that’s been in that basement that could possibly have anything to for 30 years. Look no further. do with Judy I would just get on the “There’s this desperation…that Convenient automatic delivery > Service plan option available > Over 70 years phone and call.” we may never know,” says Maureen. And it looked like all that work “I hate to think that this is what Call today to find out about our special offers! was starting to pay off. Even if only happened to her.” by process of elimination, Judy was And unfortunately, finding 877.358.2060 getting closer. And then, a possible answers takes time. Investigator

Additional terms and conditions apply. Suffolk Lic. Nos. 3134-P, 2901. ©2011 Lyons. Z_11025 breakthrough. Thomas Hughes, of the New York In 2003, when construction State police, is working on a similar workers were breaking up a block to the Midtown Jane Doe— of concrete in the basement of an the body of an unidentified young abandoned Hell’s Kitchen building man, unnoticed for 26 years on the they hit something—a rolled up red Northern State Parkway, found by carpet from the ’80s. Inside was the an out of control driver in 2004— skeleton of a young woman, her neck and says working on a decades-old and limbs wrapped by an electrical cold case comes with a unique set of cord, according to her case file. The challenges. story wasn’t heavily reported by the “There’s no identification, there’s media outside of the immediate area. no skin to fingerprint, there’s no way The 46th Street tenement was to tell if he had any tattoos, no way a known hangout for prostitutes in to tell if he’s had any scars or been the early ’80s—and within blocks of stabbed or had any operations,” Judy’s old stomping grounds. Today, it Hughes tells the Press. “We can’t step is still abandoned with cinder blocks forward in the case because we have to and broken wood panels covering the know who he is, and then we can say, windows—and bars over the ones ‘Okay, who was he last…26 years ago, leading to the basement. who was with him?’” A composite sketch of what the And if it is hard for investiga- woman could have looked like was tors to get answers, it’s even harder distributed by police after she was being a member of the general public found. But that sketch didn’t make it and trying to find them—but not out of the immediate New York City impossible. area either at the time. Maureen saw it for the first time last week. It looks like Judy. Raising Atlantis And again, all the pegs start lining Thousands of clay faces, up: The woman, like Judy, also had computer generated images, bone expensive dental work that appeared fragment photos and police composite to have abruptly stopped. Police also drawings are the only clues left behind believed her to have been a prosti- by the unnamed dead and thanks to tute because of the type of clothing a recently launched database called found with her body—all similarities NamUs.gov—the National Missing Maureen has seen before. and Unidentified Persons System— But there’s one more detail that the public has this information, once makes this latest case different—a only available to members of law gold-plated signet ring found on the enforcement, at their fingertips for the victim’s right pinky with the initials first time. PMcG carved on the face. The database is separated into They are a far cry from Judy’s two sections, one for the missing, initials: JOD, but they are the exact and one for the unidentified. Princess initials of her grandmother, Phyllis Doe was the first name to be punched McGrorty, who Maureen says Judy into this database when it launched had been extremely close to. And in January 2009. Since then 8,183 Maureen believes this ring could more John and Jane Does, and 8,266 have been given to Judy by her missing persons have been added. grandmother. “With NamUs police can enter But for all the similarities, there information and as long as law are still no answers. Investigators, enforcement okays it and looks at who say they will compare the dental it it’s put on so everyone can have records of the two women, have not access to that information,” Janice yet returned calls from either Maureen Smolinski, mother of Billy Smolinski, or the Press. And, in the meantime, a 31-year-old man who went missing

36 Long IsL and Press for august 18 - august 24, 2011 | www.longislandpress.com n e w s c o l u m n s Features Press PL ay F o o d c lassiF ied in Connecticut under suspicious circumstances in 2004, tells the Press. Smolinski is lobbying for federal incentives to encourage law enforcement to use the database, including “Billy’s Law,” legislation named after her son. “When it comes to families they like to be able to do something they actually could watch their own loved one on NamUs and try to make matches themselves.” According to the US Department of Justice, there are as many as 100,000 active missing persons at a given time and there could be up to 40,000 human remains that are unidenti„ ed in the United States. But more people are becoming aware JUDY O’DONNELL, CHRISTMAS 1979, and NamUs is growing. FAMILY PHOTO “In 2009, we doubled the number of missing person cases in the system, and last year we nearly tripled it,” Florida was positively identi„ ed as John Laub, Director of the National D’Agostino’s missing brother. To date, Institute of Justice said in a statement NamUs is credited with resolving 62 in earlier this month announcing of the missing and unidenti„ ed person the database had surpassed 15,000 cases in its databases. case entries. “With more cases in the “If you have this case that’s system, more cases can be solved and forever old there’s always a glimmer more families can get the resolutions of hope that your loved one can be they have been seeking for so long.” in NamUs,” says Maureen. “I want Maureen has actively used the people to know that it’s there because database since its inception and she a lot of people just aren’t aware that it still looks in the hope that one day she exists.” will see her sister’s face looking back at Maureen is actively following her in a composite sketch or the tiniest other potential leads as well a new detail that could help lead her to her station on Sirius radio about to debut sister’s whereabouts. Matches by those called Studio 54. Maureen has already outside of law enforcement have been been in touch with one of the DJs to made before. see if they will run information about In 2008 an unidenti„ ed man her sister. was found in Florida and within a “I have refused to bury my head few months the case was entered in the sand and accept that someone into NamUs. Nearly two years else is working on it,” she says. “When later Sue D’Agostino, of Islip, who stu• goes cold with the amount of learned about the database from a time that’s elapsed it doesn’t just go public service announcement, began cold, it goes dead. Because all the searching the unidenti„ ed section of information has been lost. It’s buried NamUs for her brother who had been in time. And it’s like raising Atlantis. missing for several years. When she I don’t know if we’ll be able to raise came across case #2297 she thought this case, I just don’t know. She’s out the face in the photo could be her there... somewhere. brother and contacted law enforce- “And her name is not Jane,” as in ment. Family DNA samples were Jane Doe, Maureen adds. taken and the unidenti„ ed man in “It’s Judy.”

If you have any information that could help resolve this case please email [email protected] or visit www.facebook.com/groups/LookingForJudy.

N E W S C O L U M N S FEATURES PRESS PLAY F O O D C L A S S I F I E D WWW.LONGISLANDPRESS.COM | LONG ISLAND PRESS for AUGUST 18 - AUGUST 24, 2011 37