NY NY -James Adamski, 18, murdered, Depew, 1982

[hawkinval]

Greetings Websleuths,
I am new to the sight, so forgive me while I find my bearings. I am trying to put together a true crime investigation into the unsolved murder of an 18 year old male who went missing in Depew, NY after a halloween party in 1982. His decomposed body was found on December 27th of that same year. There have been no arrests in that case, although I hear there are suspects. I am poking around for information on the investigation and have a few leads. Information from the actual police investigation would be so helpful. I'm going to file freedom of info requests with the local and state police.

The possibility of this being a stranger murder has been proposed over the years, so I will also be looking into the possibility of serial murders operating in western ny in those years. Any advice welcome!

 

[MicheleT]

Lancaster, N.Y. Police Department

Here is a post from the police department's Facebook.

 

[hawkinval]

Lancaster, N.Y. Police Department

Here is a post from the police department's Facebook.

I've looked that over already. I think I've found all there is to be found on the internet. Not much all in all, but hopefully little bits and pieces that will help me put the story together. Some of the facebook comments are pretty interesting, and I'm following up on those who seem to have a piece of the story to tell.

 

[hawkinval]

I am putting in FOIL requests to the local police departments. Hoping for the best, expecting the worst. The case is 37 years old but is still considered 'open'.

 

[hawkinval]

I am researching a cold case. 1982. Body dumped outside in western NY and was loosely covered with branches, exposed to the elements for almost all of November and December. Relatively warm that year with few freezing temps in that time. And about 8 inches of precipitation. what are the chances of survival of DNA from the perpetrators of the crime? Victim was beaten to death with a blunt object(s). Branches were cut and torn off nearby trees to conceal the body.

 

[serifina]

I wish this case was solved. I went to high school with Jim and know his parents are dead but the rest of the family and his friends deserve to know what happened and who did this

 

[bykerladi]

Some articles to get the rest of the group up to speed:

Reward for 34 year old Lancaster cold case
Cold Case Files: 34 years later, Halloween murder haunts family
34-year-old cold case: James Adamski
36-year-old cold case still haunts Lancaster, Cheektowaga
$11,000 Reward Offered to Help Solve 1982 Murder
Lancaster police hope incentive pays off for cold case | Lancaster Depew Bee
$11,000 reward offered to solve 1982 cold case homicide

 

[CastlesBurning]

$11K Reward Offered in Unsolved Lancaster Murder Cold Case

 

[Fede]

Here is another article. This one is from 2019: Unsolved: 37 years later investigators still search for clues in Lancaster murder | wgrz.com

 

[Beccalicious]

Bumping

 

[mtlupy]

My cousin (born in 1980) went to the same high school and still felt the shadows of this case. I pray we can find justice for James.