Photo Courtesy of Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office
“The officers of the NYPD’s Detective Bureau, its Homicide and Cold Case squads, and its highly trained forensic units, never forget and never give up,” City Police Commissioner Shea said.
By Michael V. Cusenza
A Jamaica man has been indicted by a borough grand jury for the 1976 killing of an 81-year-old World War I veteran, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz recently announced.
Martin Motta, 74, was arraigned last week on an indictment charging him with murder in the second degree.
According to the charges, on March 12, 2019, human remains consisting of a pelvis and partial torso were discovered buried under concrete in the backyard of 87-72 115th St., in Richmond Hill. The body had been dismembered at the neck, shoulders, and hips.
The remains enabled the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner to determine a DNA profile, in the hopes of identifying a family member. That profile was searched within local, state, and national databases with negative results.
Photo Courtesy of DA Katz
Victim George Clarence Seitz
Earlier this year, the Queens District Attorney’s Office and the NYPD sought the assistance of a private laboratory and the FBI to help generate leads to the unknown victim’s identity. In February 2021, the laboratory, Othram Laboratories, used advanced DNA testing to produce a comprehensive genealogical profile from the skeletal remains. The genealogical profile was given to the FBI, which then generated leads that were turned over to the Queens District Attorney’s Office and the NYPD. Investigators began to contact potential family members of the victim and obtained DNA samples for comparison to the discovered remains.
Through these combined efforts, investigators were able to confirm that the remains found were those of George Clarence Seitz, a veteran of World War I. Further investigation revealed that Seitz, then
81 years old, went missing at approximately 10 a.m. on Dec. 10, 1976. He was last seen leaving his home in Jamaica, reportedly on his way to get a haircut.
After a painstaking investigation led by the NYPD and the Queens DA’s office, crucial evidence was uncovered that allegedly links Motta to the crime. The investigation included multiple interviews of witnesses and extensive searches of records through various agencies that spanned five states.
“The officers of the NYPD’s Detective Bureau, its Homicide and Cold Case squads, and its highly trained forensic units, never forget and never give up,” City Police Commissioner Dermot Shea said. “Here again, this case shows that no matter how much time passes, our police officers and partners in the Queens District Attorney’s Office carry out a sustained commitment, across decades, to establishing justice for crime victims and their families in New York City.”
If convicted, Motta faces up to 25 years to life in prison.
