Latest news with #Murdered
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
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. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Yahoo
Duluth, Superior mark National Day of Awareness for Missing, Murdered Indigenous People
Family and friends hold posters of missing and murdered Indigenous people on May 5, 2025 in Duluth | Photo by Frank Zufall/Wisconsin Examiner On Monday, May 5, near Duluth City Hall, the mayors of Duluth, Minnesota, and Superior, Wisconsin gathered with tribal members from the two states to offer their support for the 5th Annual National Day of Awareness for Missing, Murdered, Indigenous Women and Relatives (MMIWR). The May 5th event was one of many held in Wisconsin and around the nation to highlight the crises plaguing Native American communities. Tribal members face violence, both domestic and outside their families, at a higher rate than the general population. Several factors contribute to the MMIWR phenomenon including the fact that missing people belong to a vulnerable population that has suffered historical trauma and is disproportionately affected by poverty and substance abuse; exploitation associated with itinerant workers in mining and oil camps near reservations; and an inconsistent track record of law enforcement committing resources to solve murders or finding missing person. 'On this day, we remember our stolen relatives and honor those who are still missing,' the Minnesota Indian Women's Sexual Assault Coalition said in a statement. 'May 5 also serves as a call to action at the national level, for intervention at both the state and federal levels to the epidemic of our missing & murdered relatives.' Tribal members, including many holding posters of missing or murdered people, represented family and friends. Ian Martin is the nephew of Peter Martin, a Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa tribal member who went missing from the Minnesota reservation in March 2024. Ian noted that May 5 was Peter's 33rd birthday. 'After this week, we're going to be starting up our search parties again,' said Ian. 'That consists of looking through acres of woods, acres of properties. We have set up meetings with the agencies working this case and tips and leads are still being followed up on, and the investigation is still ongoing.' Ian said there is no solid theory why his uncle went missing. 'When a relative disappears from us or is taken from us, it creates a lot of unresolved grief, a lot of incomplete relationships,' he said. 'Our family wishes day and night that he comes home.' He continued, 'I don't have a solution to this MMIR issue in Indian Country, but I do have advice. The best advice is that care of one another. There's only a handful of us, Indian people on this world. Remember to take care of your well-being.' The mother of Chantel Moose, 25, a Native American murdered April 12, 2024 in Duluth also spoke. 'This year has been hard,' said Shauna Moose, speaking in a trembling voice. 'Hoping and praying for justice for her.' Rene Ann Goodrich, a MMIWR advocate who organized the event, noted that the trial is set for the man accused of killing Chantel. 'The family has just completed their first memorial,' said Goodrich. 'Now is the time that they're seeking justice, and they need support from the community…and we want the family to know that we're here with you. We're here for the duration.' Tony Mainville, a tribal member from Northern Minnesota and the uncle of Jeremy Jourdan, 16, who went missing on Halloween 2016, spoke of the family's pain of missing the young man and their determination not to stop looking for him. Steve Woodworth, a Leech Lake Tribal Member, filled out information at the event about his sister, Melissa Woodworth, who has been missing since December 2020. Steve said during a RV trip that Melissa's boyfriend said she walked away in a town in Iowa, a town the boyfriend couldn't remember, and she has never been heard from again. Steve said he was the one who had reported his sister missing, and as the only remaining sibling, he had been working with the FBI and the Minnesota, Murdered, Indigenous. Relative (MMIR) Office. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
