FISHKILL – As a result of advances in genetic technology and identifiable DNA, a woman who was murdered and left headless and handless in a trunk near a dumpster on the grounds of the Hudson View Apartment complex in Fishkill has been identified.
The victim was discovered in a travel trunk on March 20, 1980 and despite following hundreds of leads for 42 years, police were unable to identify her – until now.
Working with the FBI Investigative Genealogy Team and Othram, a private lab that specialized in forensic DNA analysis, the Troop K State Police Major Crimes Unit identified the victim as Anna Papalardo-Blake of New York City, who was 44 at the time of her death.
She was reported missing to the New York City Police Department in Manhattan.
Papalardo-Blake was last seen on March 18, 1980 at about 6 p.m. when she left her workplace, Vidal Sassoon, at 160 5th Avenue in New York, where she worked as a receptionist.
State Police ask anyone who believes they have information related to this case to call investigators at 845-677-7300.
Funding for the identification process was provided by the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs).
Assisting the State Police were the FBI, Dutchess County District Attorney’s Office and NamUs.
