After an investigation that spanned five states and lasted over four decades, a man from Queens has pleaded guilty to the murder of a WWI veteran who was killed and buried in a backyard back in 1976.
The confession came from 75-year-old barber Martin Motta, whose arrest would not have been possible without new DNA technology that proved crucial in solving the decades-old mystery.
George Clarence Seitz went missing in 1976, and his disappearance remained a mystery until 2019, when a tip led to a gruesome discovery in a Richmond Hill backyard.
Investigators unearthed body parts. and the Queens district attorney’s office turned to science to help ID the human remains.
The Hurricane season is on. Our meteorologists are ready. Sign up for the NBC 6 Weather newsletter to get the latest forecast in your inbox.
"We used genetic genealogy. Forensic genealogy in order to be able to track down the family members and in order to ask them, was there a missing person at the time, do you know someone about 45 years ago that might have gone missing," Queens DA Melinda Katz explained on Tuesday.
Investigators collected and analyzed the DNA evidence, and found who the remains belonged to.
"Lo and behold it was a World War One veteran who had fought for this country. He had gone to France and fought for this country and at the age of 81 years old had been reported missing," said Katz.
With a positive identification, a forensic artist created this age progression sketch of Seitz from this old photograph which helped crack the case.
"We had to age the photo to 81 years old, and because of the science today we were able to do that and get a witness," the DA said.
That led police to Motta. Investigators said Seitz went to Motta’s barbershop for a haircut where he was robbed, killed, dismembered then buried. Police believe Motta targeted Seitz because he carried around a large amount of cash.
Motta pleaded guilty on Monday to manslaughter. And while it took more than 40 years, Katz said getting justice for Seitz and his family was paramount.
"To get that closure of knowing someone stands for justice, and that someone is going to be held accountable, is extremely important," she said.
Motta faces 20 years in prison when he is sentenced in early November. His attorney did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
