NEW YORK — The Queens District Attorney’s Office charged a New York man on Wednesday in the cold case homicide of a World War I veteran who was killed while on his way to get a haircut in 1976, the prosecutor’s office said.
The dismembered remains of George Clarence Seitz were discovered in the backyard of a Queens home in 2019, Fox News reported.
Seitz remained unidentified for two years after only partial remains of a torso and pelvis were found. He was 81 at the time of his death. Now, Martin Motta, 74, is charged with murder.
“After 45 years, the alleged killer of a WWI Veteran is being held accountable and brought to justice,” Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said in a release. “We hope the identification of the remains and the indictment in this case will begin to bring peace and closure to his loved ones. 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.”
George Clarence Seitz, a World War I veteran, (left) was last seen leaving his home in Jamaica, New York, to get a haircut in 1976. His remains were found behind a home in Queens in March 2019. (Queens District Attorney’s Office)
Motta faces 25 years to life in prison if convicted.
The case came together with the help of a private laboratory using advanced DNA testing. As a result, the FBI was able to generate leads from his genealogical profile for potential family members who gave DNA samples, ultimately identifying him, Fox reported.
Once Seitz was identified, NYPD investigators and the district attorney’s office uncovered evidence reportedly linking Motta to the WWI veteran’s murder, although further details were not made available.
George Clarence Seitz’s remains were found behind a home in Queens in March 2019. (Queens District Attorney’s 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,” NYPD Commissioner Dermot Shea said in a statement. “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.”
