Murder is already bad enough, but when it's a child, it's horrible and reprehensible. I can't imagine being a parent who has lost their minor child due to a homicide. Police in New York State need our help solving these cold cases of murdered kids. The parents and loved ones of these children deserve closure and the victims deserve justice. I know that sometimes it seems like cold cases are impossible to solve, but many times, someone remembers something or is finally willing to come forward with information.

1. Wanda Lee Walkowicz

New York State Police
New York State Police
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New York State Police are searching for a suspect(s) in her homicide. Wanda Lee was 11-years-old when she was killed. She disappeared on April 2, 1973, at about 5:15 pm in Rochester. Wanda had made a trip to the grocery store for her mother. A New York State Trooper found her body the next day on On April 3, 1973, at 10:15 am as a rest stop on State Route 104 in Webster, NY. She may have been a victim of a serial killer,

This homicide and two other unsolved homicides were dubbed the Alphabet Murders and Double Initial Murders by the media, as all three cases occurred in the Rochester area. Carmen Colon, age 10, was found on November 16, 1971 in the Town of Riga, Monroe County, and Michele Maenza, age 11, was found on November 28, 1973, in the Town of Macedon, Wayne County. These cases have not been officially connected, however, all three cases remain open.

Please contact:
New York State Police
Troop E, Major Crimes Unit, Canadaigua, New York
(585) 398-4100 / nysvicap@troopers.ny.gov

2. Edward "Mitt" Croley

New York State Police
New York State Police
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Mitt was 14 when he went missing on March 24, 1991, from Northern Boulevard and Livingston Street in Albany. His body was found on January 8, 1992, in a wooded area along State Route 144 in the town of Coeymans.

Edward "Mitt" Croley was last seen wearing a blue, hooded pullover sweatshirt, grey sweatpants and a dark blue t-shirt with a Silver Anniversary SuperBowl XXV NFC Champions and NY Giants Helmet logo.

Please contact:

New York State Police
Troop G, SP New Scotland
(518) 768-8161 or (518) 768-8162

New York State Police
Troop G, Major Crimes Unit
(518) 783-3212 / nysvicap@troopers.ny.gov

3. Robert S. Gutkaiss

New York State Police
New York State Police
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Robert was 15-years-old when he disappeared on June 30, 1983, where he was last seen walking along Route 22 in Stephentown. His remains were found on July 8, 1983, off East Road in the town of Stephentown.

Please contact:

New York State Police
Troop G, Major Crimes Unit
(518) 783-3212

New York State Police
Troop G, SP Schodack
(518) 732-4644 / nysvicap@troopers.ny.gov

4. Jennifer M. Hammond

New York State Police
New York State Police
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Jennifer Hammond, also known as Moonbeam, had just turned 18 when was last seen in the latter part of August 2003. She was selling magazines in the Creek and Pines Trailer Park in Ballston Spa when she went missing. She didn't meet her employer Atlantic Circulation Inc. when it was time for her to be picked up. She was supposed to take a bus back to her hometown of Littleton, Colorado, but never picked the ticket or her belonging up. Her skull was found on October 25, 2009, in a wooded area off of Lake Desolation Road in the Town of Greenfield.

Please contact:

Saratoga County Sheriff's Office
Ballston Spa, New York
(518) 885-6761 / nysvicap@troopers.ny.gov

5. Katherine Kolodziej

New York State Police
New York State Police
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On November 2, 1974, 17-year-old Katherine Kolodziej went missing from the Vault Tavern on Main Street in Cobleskill. Originally from Ronkonkoma, the freshman was reported missing from the campus of the State University of New York at Cobleskill. Her body was found on November 28, 1974.

Please contact:

New York State Police
Troop G, SP Princetown
(518) 630-1700

New York State Police
Troop G, Major Crimes Unit
(518) 783-3212 / nysvicap@troopers.ny.gov

6. Joanne Ena Lynn

New York State Police
New York State Police
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Joanne's murder is the oldest cold case on the list, but it's still important to try to bring her killer to justice. The 11-year-old was last seen on Monday, September 19, 1949. She was walking to school along State Route 15a in the hamlet of Hemlock. Her remains were found 5 days later on September 24, 1949, in a pasture about seven miles away from she was last seen.

If you have any information, please call:

New York State Police
Troop E, Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Geneseo, NY
(585) 243-4876
OR
New York State Police
Troop E, Major Crimes, Canandaigua, NY
(585) 398-4100 / nysvicap@troopers.ny.gov

7. Kimberly Simon

NYS Crime Stoppers
NYS Crime Stoppers
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Kim Simon was last seen walking around 6:30 pm on September 18, 1985. She was walking Southbound on Mohawk Street in Marcy. Her body was found the next day in a dense area near her home on September 19, 1985.

New York State Crime Stoppers has offered a cash reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person(s) responsible for the death of 16-year-old Kimberly Simon. Anyone with information is asked to contact the hotline number 1-866-313-TIPS (8477).

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