New York City man pleads guilty to killing World War I veteran who went missing 46 years ago
A New York City man has pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the killing of an 81-year-old World War I Veteran several decades ago, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said in a press release on Tuesday.
Martin Motta, 75, of Queens, faces 20 years in prison for the 1976 killing of George Clarence Seitz. Motta is due to be sentenced on Nov. 7, the press release said.
Seitz disappeared on Dec. 10, 1976, after leaving his home to get a haircut, according to the press release. In 2019, his dismembered remains were found buried underneath concrete in a New York City backyard.
Initially, a DNA profile of the remains did not lead to an identification, the press release said, but in February 2021 a private lab determined a genealogical profile that authorities used to identify the victim as Seitz.
The New York Police Department and the Queens district attorney's office conducted an investigation into Seitz's death that included witness interviews and record searches in five states. In the end, they determined Motta, who worked at the barbershop where Seitz got his hair cut, was their suspect, the press release said.
"This long-cold case marks the first successful application in New York City of forensic genetic genealogy," Katz said in the press release. "No matter how much time has passed, we will use every tool at our disposal to achieve justice."
Authorities also determined that Motta stabbed Seitz in the head after robbing him of $7,000 to $8,000.
"For the gruesome murder of a World War I veteran, the defendant eluded arrest for more than 46 years," Katz added. "Now he is headed to prison thanks to the collaboration between the NYPD and our Cold Case Unit."
