Long Island Cold Case Solved: Man Charged After 41 Years in Teen's Murder

Cold Case Breakthrough

• 🎯 A 63-year-old man, Richard Bilodeau, has been charged with the murder of Terresa Fusco, who was 16 years old when she disappeared in 1984.
• 💡 The case, which spans over four decades, was solved using DNA evidence.

The Victim and the Crime

• 📌 Terresa Fusco vanished after leaving her job at Hot Kates in Lindbrook, Long Island, and her body was discovered a month later near LIRR tracks.
• 💔 She was sexually assaulted and strangled to death, a crime that sent shockwaves through the tight-knit community.

Investigation and Exonerations

• 🔍 In 1986, three men were arrested for the murder but were exonerated in 2003 after spending 18 years in prison, with DNA evidence proving their innocence.
• 🔬 Prosecutors state that newer DNA testing, which has improved over the years, now points to Bilodeau as the perpetrator.

Suspect and Evidence

• 🕵️ Investigators began surveilling Bilodeau, who had lived and worked in Lindbrook in the 1980s and has resided quietly in Center Moriches for decades.
• 🧬 His DNA was obtained from a straw he discarded, leading to a 100% match.
• ⚠️ Bilodeau reportedly had no prior criminal record and had not been arrested in the 40 years since the murder, working an overnight shift at Walmart.

Path to Closure

• 🕊️ For Terresa Fusco's father, the arrest offers a hope for closure after a prolonged period of grief.
• ⚖️ Bilodeau is due back in court on November 21st.