After more than 40 years of haunting the local community, a chilling cold case in New York might finally see justice. Officials have stated that DNA recovered from a discarded smoothie cup led to the arrest of 63-year-old Richard Bilodeau for the murder of 16-year-old Theresa Fusco back in 1984. This announcement came from the Nassau County District Attorney’s Office on Wednesday. Bilodeau is facing serious charges including second-degree murder and potential charges linked to first-degree rape. However, he has pleaded not guilty to all allegations.
Back in November 1984, Fusco disappeared right after she was laid off from a job at a roller rink snack bar, according to a report by ABC News. Tragically, her remains were discovered later, hidden beneath leaves and pallets, revealing she had been sexually assaulted and strangled. The incident rattled the community, especially as two other teenagers vanished from the same area, which locals began to refer to as the “Lynbrook Triangle.” Initially, three men were convicted of Fusco’s murder, but thanks to DNA evidence that came to light in 2003, they were exonerated with their convictions overturned, resulting in two of them receiving $18 million each in compensation.
According to investigators, they had started zeroing in on Bilodeau last year and managed to gather vital evidence by February 2024. Yet they have stayed tight-lipped about how he came onto their radar, merely mentioning they had followed “multiple investigative leads,” as reported by the AP. Authorities also noted that he was living a mere mile away from the roller rink when Fusco disappeared.
Judging by a quote from prosecutor Jared Rosenblatt, things only heated up when Bilodeau was asked why his DNA matched that found on Fusco’s body. His response—”People got away with murder back then”—has circulated broadly. Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly remarked on this by stating, “Well, I’ll tell you something, Mr. Bilodeau, I’ve got you now!”
In a heartfelt moment during a Wednesday press conference, Fusco’s father, Thomas Fusco, shared his enduring love and longing for his daughter, pulling out a photo of Theresa from his coat pocket. “I never gave up hope. I’ve always had faith in the system,” he expressed poignantly.
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