3 days ago
Southern Tier resident seeks answers in Chautauqua County cold case
CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY, N.Y. (WIVB) — Questions are being raised about the possibility of an accused murderer being responsible a cold case from 1978 that took place in Chautauqua County.
There are over 20 unsolved cases in Chautauqua County involving women who have gone missing or were murdered.
'There's a lot of work to be done, a lot of files to be read,' said Chautauqua County Sheriff Jim Quattrone. 'It's slower than we would like it to be, but it is important for us to give the loved ones of these victims — offer them some hope, not giving them false hope, but let them know that they're not forgotten and that we're seeking justice.'
Southern Tier resident DJ Abram is making it his mission to figure out what happened in one of those cases that occurred almost 50 years ago. Abram helps run the Facebook page 'Who Killed Beth Ann Patterson Brown?' Brown was murdered in 1978 in Brocton, N.Y., after leaving a popular town bar.
Abram said the community deserves answers, not only for this cold case, but for the other cases in the county.
'There's somebody walking around who's responsible for this and it's heartbreaking for the families,' he said.
Police have not confirmed to WIVB News 4 if they're looking into whether accused killer Richard Fox has any connection to Brown's case. Abram said Fox did grow up in the area where Brown's murder happened.
Fox is accused of murdering two Buffalo women whose bodies were found in 2021 near the Chautauqua County Rails to Trails bike path. He's also a person of interest in a case in Niagara Falls, where police discovered human remains in a basement in the Falls.
'He was around 14, 15 at the time. Being that this happened in the middle of the night, being near a bar, I can't imagine a 14, 15-year-old would be hanging around a bar,' Abram said. 'It was a very brutal murder. Is it possible? It certainly is possible, but it doesn't seem likely in my mind.'
Last year, Congressman Nick Langworthy helped secure $100,000 in federal funding to help Chautauqua County crack these cold cases.
'I was honored to secure $100,000 for the Chautauqua County Sheriff's Office as part of last year's appropriations process to support their Abducted, Missing, Murdered, and Unidentified Women's Initiative,' Langworthy said. 'This funding is about more than numbers — it's about justice, remembrance, and action. We owe it to the women who have vanished, to those whose lives were stolen, and to their families, to ensure their stories are not forgotten, their cases are fully investigated, and that every effort is made to deliver the answers and accountability they deserve. I salute Sheriff Quattrone for his vision in opening a cold case effort to bring just to these families and victims.'
Sarah Minkewicz is an Emmy-nominated reporter and Buffalo native who has been a part of the News 4 team since 2019. Follow Sarah on Twitter @SarahMinkewicz and click here to see more of her work.
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