Man cuffed for 1976 Jamaica murder
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George Clarence Seitz, of Jamaica, went missing in 1976. His remains were found and identified in recent years and his alleged killer was arrested this week, according to Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz. Photo courtesy of the Queens DA’s office
By Jacob Kaye
George Clarence Seitz, an 81-year-old man who lived in Jamaica, went missing nearly a half century ago.
For 45 years, the World War I veteran’s family was left wondering what may have happened to him.
That mystery is beginning to become clear after Seitz’s remains were discovered buried underneath concrete in the backyard of a Richmond Hill home, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced this week.
Potentially even more gratifying to the family, was the announcement that Seitz’s suspected killer, 74-year-old Martin Motta, was arrested Wednesday following a nearly three-year investigation.
“This indictment serves as an example of how police and prosecutors work together to bring individuals alleged to have committed crimes to justice, regardless of how much time passes or how many obstacles are placed in our path,” Katz said in a statement.
On Dec. 10, 1976, Seitz walked out of his Jamaica home and headed to his barber shop a few blocks away, according to the DA. His family never heard from him again.
Police believe that Motta, who owned the barber shop that the victim frequented, knew that Seitz often carried large amounts of cash on him. When Seitz arrived for a snip, Motta robbed and killed him, the NYPD said.
Motta then took pieces of Seitz’s body to the home he was living in on 115th Street in Richmond Hill and buried them in the backyard.
Decades went by without much movement on the case until a detective inside the 102nd Precinct received a tip about where Seitz’s body might be buried, according to the authorities.
“Someone recalled a homicide that occurred in 1976 and gave details and gave the location that the body was buried,” said Jerry O'Sullivan, the deputy chief of the NYPD. “The work that was done in this case was not just relentless but amazing.”
The NYPD declined to reveal the identity of the caller or any details about how they knew the details of the case.
Following the tip, the authorities went to the home and searched for the body in the backyard, eventually discovering Seitz’s pelvis and part of his torso buried, according to the charges.
The body had been dismembered at the neck, shoulders and hips, leading investigators to believe it was a homicide, the police said.
Local law enforcement partnered with the Federal Bureau of Investigations to identify the remains and, for the first time in a New York City case, used investigative genetic genealogy to get the answer.
“This is a remarkable investigation,” said Daniel Saunders, the executive Queens assistant district attorney of the major crimes division. “It pays tribute to their persistence, diligence and their thoroughness in the investigation.”
Katz’s Cold Case Unit was created after the discovery of the remains.
“After 45 years, the alleged killer of a WWI Veteran is being held accountable and brought to justice,” Katz said. “We hope the identification of the remains and the indictment in this case will begin to bring peace and closure to his loved ones.”
Motta was charged with one count of second degree murder this week – all the other potential charges were eliminated by the statute of limitations, the DA’s office said.
Motta, who was arraigned before Queens Supreme Court Justice Kenneth Holder, was remanded and sent to Rikers Island. He’ll return to court on Friday, Nov. 5, and faces up to 25 years-to-life in prison if convicted.
