Break in 2001 killing in New Windsor brings relief to victim's family
NEW WINDSOR, New York (WABC) -- Nearly 25 years after Nancy Smith was found stabbed and beaten to death in her home, her family finally knows who was responsible for the 2001 killing.
Family members said the identification of a suspect has brought complicated emotions.
"People say there's closure. In a piece of it, there's closure. There's relief and there's a little bit of peace," Smith's sister, Barbara Stolfe said.
Smith, 32, was discovered during a wellness check after she failed to show up for work. New Windsor's current town supervisor, Stephen Bedetti, was a high school classmate of Smith and the police dispatcher who took the call from her mother.
"I think one of the biggest things for me is that, knowing that her parents passed. And, you know, I agree with 100% to know that they went to the grave, if you will, not knowing who murdered their daughter. And that was the last thing they saw. Their daughter was, a brutal crime scene," Bedetti said.
Investigators continued working the case for years, even after 65 DNA samples failed to produce a match. In 2023, they submitted a single strand of hair to a commercial database, which led them to a person of interest in South Carolina through family connections.
In 2024, detectives traveled to Myrtle Beach to obtain a DNA sample from Robert Young, a musician who had played in several Dutchess County bands years earlier. The sample matched. Investigators returned last month to interview the 58yearold, who denied involvement before police went back to New York to continue building their case.
"Several days after investigators interviewed the male, he was found deceased in his apartment in an apparent suicide," New Windsor Police Chief Daniel Valeri said.
Investigators have not identified a motive. Smith, a music fan, likely met Young at some point, and there were no signs of forced entry at her home. Her family said that while Young's death means he will never face trial, it also means they will not endure the pain of court proceedings.
"Nothing is going to bring Nancy back to us, but at least this person can't hurt someone else and do this to another family, because it's like I said, it doesn't really get better. And it never goes away," Stolfe said.
The resolution does not bring a happy ending, but it closes a painful chapter for Smith's loved ones.
---------
* Get Eyewitness News Delivered
* Download our connected TV app
* Download the abc7NY app for breaking news alerts on the go
Submit a tip or story idea to Eyewitness News
Have a breaking news tip or an idea for a story we should cover? Send it to Eyewitness News using the form below. If attaching a video or photo, terms of use apply.
