NY NY - Tuxedo, WhtMale 45-55, UP9785, Longine Wittnauer watch repaired in Whippany, Jan'69

anthrobones

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http://doenetwork.org/cases/120umny.html




Unidentified White Male
  • Located on January 2, 1969 in Tuxedo, Orange County, New York.
  • Cause of death was a gunshot wound to the head.
  • He had been deceased about 6 weeks prior to discovery.



Vital Statistics


  • Estimated age: 45 - 55 years old
  • Approximate Height and Weight: 5'5"; 145 lbs.
  • Distinguishing Characteristics: Dark brown hair.
  • Dentals: Dental information is available.
  • Clothing: He was wearing underpants, brown pants and brown socks. He had a gold chain around his neck with a St. Christopher's medal. A Longines Wittnauer wristwatch was on his left wrist. The watch had an inexpensive black leather band with a note on the back stating, Watch repaired at Whippany Jewelers, Whippany, NJ 01/67.


Case History
The victim's partially decomposed body was found in a shallow creek.

 
Ya know, if that was this guy's watch, I certainly hope LE checked with the repair shop listed on the watch. That would definately narrow the field of possibilities as to who this man was.
 
Was it ever established if he was killed at the scene or if he was killed elsewhere and dumped there? Tuxedo, NY is about 36 miles from Whippany, NJ.
 
UID is finally in Namus but no rule outs:

https://identifyus.org/en/cases/9785

It's not a very good NamUs record either - dental records available but not entered, DNA available but not yet submitted.

Also, something about this case implies a professional, possibly mafia, hit to me, I don't know. Shot in the head - expensive watch and gold jewelry so likely not a drifter yet seemingly not reported missing (would it be dangerous to report?).

Other thinking: why a luxury watch, but an inexpensive band? The watch could have been a second-hand present or inherited from someone better off than the actual UID. Alternatively, if UID had purchased the watch from a pawn shop in poor condition. Or could just be a matter of personal preference. I'm assuming that the watch was repaired as the same time as the original band was replaced to this inexpensive band.
 
Brown pants, brown socks, white undershirt. A little cold to be wearing only that in wintertime. Someone wanted to make it look like a robbery, but they didn't really rob him. They didn't take the watch and necklace; which was worth something. This was clearly someone he knew. Not that it matters "how/why", it was just good for me to feel like I'd connected the dots in my head. Thinking out loud. I wonder what the Mob activity was like in the area. Jmho
 
Brown pants, brown socks, white undershirt. A little cold to be wearing only that in wintertime. Someone wanted to make it look like a robbery, but they didn't really rob him. They didn't take the watch and necklace; which was worth something. This was clearly someone he knew. Not that it matters "how/why", it was just good for me to feel like I'd connected the dots in my head. Thinking out loud. I wonder what the Mob activity was like in the area. Jmho

I don't even think that they've attempted to make it look like a robbery, there's not even shoes. It looks like UID is wearing "home clothes" almost. To me it sounds like someone pulled from his house essentially. Got home from work - took of shirt and sat in undershirt, kicked off his shoes, maybe took of belt if there was one to relax...

I don't know about Tuxedo, NY, but there was definitely mob activity in North New Jersey in the late 60s. Based on the Whippany connection, I'm assuming that UID was actually from North Jersey, and dumped/executed in Tuxedo due to it's isolation as well as being relatively easy to reach some of the way by interstate (I-287 was by then at least enough to get from Whippany to Montville, according to my scant readings just now about the history of I-287).
 
Someone already mentioned the distance. But we can probably all agree that that the UID possibly lived in between the two locations or even In Whippany, NJ. I know that I take my watches/Jewelry to someone I can trust that's near to my house. He may even have been living within a 5 mile radius of the store at the time. (and went to NY for work) Here's a map for driving directions between the two locations. https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Whi...f678e589e4a585!2m2!1d-74.1944529!2d41.2376671

Also, I'd like to put it on the table that with brown hair and St. Christopher medallion, he may be of Italian Descent? I'm not trying to sound too stereotypical here, but my sister's family is Italian, and most of them are Catholic. :) JMO
 
I don't even think that they've attempted to make it look like a robbery, there's not even shoes. It looks like UID is wearing "home clothes" almost. To me it sounds like someone pulled from his house essentially. Got home from work - took of shirt and sat in undershirt, kicked off his shoes, maybe took of belt if there was one to relax...

I don't know about Tuxedo, NY, but there was definitely mob activity in North New Jersey in the late 60s. Based on the Whippany connection, I'm assuming that UID was actually from North Jersey, and dumped/executed in Tuxedo due to it's isolation as well as being relatively easy to reach some of the way by interstate (I-287 was by then at least enough to get from Whippany to Montville, according to my scant readings just now about the history of I-287).
I was really trying to put myself "in the time and place" if that makes sense. And I kinda see a guy who dressed the way my Dad used to. Some sort of "business man", who wore a suit to work. tie and all. They matched their socks to their shoe and jacket color. I feel like this guy's missing a black trench, a brown suit jacket, white shirt, maybe a blue tie and some patent leather brown shoes. But that's just my best guess.
You're probably right, there seems to be a lot to "take off him", if they were making it "look like a robbery". I just wish there was more information. I'm going to try to dig through the NYT to see if this was the murder scene..or if this was just a dumping spot.
If it's the dumping spot you're probably right. MOO
 
I was really trying to put myself "in the time and place" if that makes sense. And I kinda see a guy who dressed the way my Dad used to. Some sort of "business man", who wore a suit to work. tie and all. They matched their socks to their shoe and jacket color. I feel like this guy's missing a black trench, a brown suit jacket, white shirt, maybe a blue tie and some patent leather brown shoes. But that's just my best guess.
You're probably right, there seems to be a lot to "take off him", if they were making it "look like a robbery". I just wish there was more information. I'm going to try to dig through the NYT to see if this was the murder scene..or if this was just a dumping spot.
If it's the dumping spot you're probably right. MOO

I wish there was more information as well! I would be curious to see a closeup of the watch, etc. If the trousers had a label, or home sewn? If there's a company label, how expensive would they have been based on that company? My guess is either it was the dumping spot, or it was a chosen "execution spot", where he was taken to specifically to be shot. And good idea with the newspapers, I would think this a case where there was an article out about it.
 
I wish there was more information as well! I would be curious to see a closeup of the watch, etc. If the trousers had a label, or home sewn? If there's a company label, how expensive would they have been based on that company? My guess is either it was the dumping spot, or it was a chosen "execution spot", where he was taken to specifically to be shot. And good idea with the newspapers, I would think this a case where there was an article out about it.

Unfortunately, NY was in turmoil at the time. You've got big headlines in 68-69. Nixon sliding into office, a huge mob bust and civil rights movement to name a few. I've researched and researched until frustration overwhelmed me. It didn't make the NY Times. But I'm thinking that a smaller newspaper may have published it. The theory of a "mob hit" still runs through my mind. Even after the bust, it could have been a different family. I bounced ideas off my mom, and she seems to think that even though NJ was really "nice" back then; the explanation for the inexpensive watch was that he could have been a nurse or doctor. My theory was that it was a gift. She also said it was common for people to just up and leave their belongings without a forwarding address if they hadn't paid their last months rent.

My hunch is that if we look at apartment complexes near the jewelry store or within a 5 mile radius, we may be able to narrow down where the guy lived, maybe contact the landlords, see how long they've owned the building. Also see if they have lockers for "surrendered property" and their usual hold period. We could get lucky and find the rest of this guy's suit and maybe some papers or ID.
It could be that a landlord felt something was not quite right and held onto these things. I think if someone left behind their ID and personal info; id expect someone to come back and claim it. Just throw it out there. Jmho
 
Unfortunately, NY was in turmoil at the time. You've got big headlines in 68-69. Nixon sliding into office, a huge mob bust and civil rights movement to name a few. I've researched and researched until frustration overwhelmed me. It didn't make the NY Times. But I'm thinking that a smaller newspaper may have published it. The theory of a "mob hit" still runs through my mind. Even after the bust, it could have been a different family. I bounced ideas off my mom, and she seems to think that even though NJ was really "nice" back then; the explanation for the inexpensive watch was that he could have been a nurse or doctor. My theory was that it was a gift. She also said it was common for people to just up and leave their belongings without a forwarding address if they hadn't paid their last months rent.

My hunch is that if we look at apartment complexes near the jewelry store or within a 5 mile radius, we may be able to narrow down where the guy lived, maybe contact the landlords, see how long they've owned the building. Also see if they have lockers for "surrendered property" and their usual hold period. We could get lucky and find the rest of this guy's suit and maybe some papers or ID.
It could be that a landlord felt something was not quite right and held onto these things. I think if someone left behind their ID and personal info; id expect someone to come back and claim it. Just throw it out there. Jmho

That's what I was thinking, small newspapers - but can't find that either weirdly. And I mean, local-local newspapers that public stories about someone's wallet getting stolen on the street. But will keep having a look round.
 
You might try calling the Whippany library and asking the research librarian for help. They often know about things like newspapers that have gone out of business.
 
I wonder if he got the watch from a pawnshop. Maybe he could afford a high-end watch that way, but couldn't afford anything but a cheap watch band for it. I don't suppose there'd be any pawn shop records left this many years later--
 
What do you think about him being a teacher? Maybe a disgruntled teacher took a knife to a gun fight during the UFT strike?
I remember my father being a union steward for the Farmall co. years ago. I remember being put on the floorboard of our Rambler station wagon in the middle of the night to leave town. My parents were expecting to be a target of gun fire is all I remember when I asked why.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City_teachers'_strike_of_1968
 
I wonder if he got the watch from a pawnshop. Maybe he could afford a high-end watch that way, but couldn't afford anything but a cheap watch band for it. I don't suppose there'd be any pawn shop records left this many years later--

I thought about that too. Or maybe that's where he bought the band itself was in Whippany. Maybe he'd had the watch a very long time and just didn't want to part with it after he broke the band. Then had another band put on it. Mom also throws out the idea that they should have had records on "who they sold the band to". And wondered aloud "why they didn't check that back then?" But you're right, it could have been a dead end if it were re-sold to a pawn shop; or given to Goodwill, and the original owners were alive and well. mho
 
His Namus page has pictures of the watch and medallion that I don't remember being there before.

The watch is a slender design, almost a feminine style.
 
One thing about Catholic Saint medallions is that people sometimes wear a particular saint based on patronage (so, travelers is most common for St. Christopher), but also just from an association with the name. In other words, the saint you share a name with. I was given many St. Michael medallions as a child from older Catholics, even strangers, because my given name is Michael.
 
That's a good thought.

His is a rather nice medallion. Mine's just a cheap sheet of copper that looks a bit like those stretched-out pennies you get from a carnival machine. I don't even carry it any more. Maybe it had more importance to him.
 

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