Riddle of murder victim buried in a concrete slab

Sunday Mirror, Dec 28, 2003 by EAMONN O'HANLON

NEW YORK'S most prolific serial killer is to be quizzed over the murder of a young woman - thought to be Irish - whose body was found earlier this year entombed in concrete.

Detectives believe Joel Rifkin, jailed for 203 years in 1994 for killing 17 women, may have vital information about the as-yet unidentified victim.

Her remains were found in April in a makeshift concrete coffin during work in the basement of a derelict building in the area of Manhattan known as Hell's Kitchen.

A worker smashed his sledgehammer into a concrete slab under the disused restaurant at West 46th St in Manhattan and discovered a human skull.

The skull was of a woman, thought to have been aged between 17 and 19.

Further investigation uncovered a nearly complete skeleton, 4ft 10in to 5ft 4in tall and indicated the woman was of a petite build.

She had been bound at the hands and feet with an electrical power lead and a ligature placed around her neck.

Detectives believe she died in the late 1980s - but forensic experts are unable to determine what killed her or even if she was still alive when she was encased in the 6ft by 5ft by 1ft concrete slab.

Police say they have few clues as to her identity apart from a gold signet ring engraved with the initials PMcG.

NYPD Lieutenant T J Moroney said: "We think she could be Irish. We are trying every lead. We have done all sorts of computer searches, records checks and missing persons investigations but it hasn't turned up anything so far,"

Also found with the skeleton were a ten cent coin minted in 1968, a Bulova watch, a size-32A bra, a pair of tights, seven buttons, part of a bag of rat poison, a clothing label and a plastic toy soldier.

The body was wrapped in a rust-coloured carpet. Forensic examination the carpet uncovered a number of hairs, thought to have come from the woman's killer.

Detective Gerard Gardiner said Rifkin was one of two strong suspects, but added it was essential the victim was identified before any attempt is made to question him.

Mr Gardiner said: "You have to operate under the assumption you only get to talk to a suspect once, and without specific information you're at a disadvantage.

"To solve this case, we need to know who this woman was.

He added that detectives could take their time with the case because: "Joel Rifkin is not going anywhere."

Rifkin was arrested in 1993 after cops stopped him for a minor traffic offence and found the body of one his victims in the back of his pick-up truck.

He later admitted murdering 16 other women - mostly prostitutes - and dumping their bodies inside 55 gallon drums in rivers, or near highways.

Detectives have already appealed to New York's Irish community for help in identifying the woman and this week issued an artist's impression of her following reconstruction of the skeletal remains.

The expert took measurements of her skull. They then used a computer programme to superimpose flesh on it and reconstruct what her face might have been like. Hair and other features are based on educated guesses.

The Hell's Kitchen area has traditionally been an Irish neighbourhood - it is where Jim Sheridan's new movie In America is set.

Lt Moroney said the area had changed substantially in recent years. He said: "Where the skeleton was found is now known as Restaurant Row.

"Back in the '80s, the area was a neighbourhood frequented by transients and prostitutes and in the 1960s it was the centre of operations for a notorious Irish gang known as the Westies."