Nassau NY
10-15-2025 7:04pm

Justice After Four Decades: Arrest Made in 1984 Lynbrook Teen Murder

🕵️‍♀️ Justice After Four Decades: Arrest Made in 1984 Lynbrook Teen Murder

By Samantha Vogel | Long Island Daily News

After 41 years of heartbreak and unanswered questions, the family of Theresa Fusco may finally see justice.

In a dramatic breakthrough announced this week, Nassau County authorities arrested 63-year-old Richard Bilodeau of Center Moriches, charging him with the 1984 murder of 16-year-old Fusco—a case that has haunted Lynbrook and the wider Long Island community for generations.

Fusco vanished on November 10, 1984, after being fired from her job at Hot Skates roller rink. Her body was discovered months later in a wooded area, buried beneath leaves and debris. She had been sexually assaulted, beaten, and strangled.

The case took a tragic turn in the 1990s when three men were convicted and imprisoned for her murder. But in 2003, DNA evidence exonerated them, leaving the Fusco family—and the community—without closure once again.

Now, investigators say new forensic technology and persistent detective work led them to Bilodeau. Surveillance teams reportedly recovered a discarded smoothie straw containing DNA that matched evidence from the original crime scene.

“This arrest is the result of decades of determination and scientific progress,” said Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly. “We never gave up on Theresa.”

Bilodeau was arraigned on second-degree murder charges and is being held without bail. Prosecutors have not ruled out additional charges or suspects.

The arrest has reopened old wounds but also renewed hope. For many Long Islanders, Fusco’s case symbolized the dangers faced by young women and the flaws in the justice system. Her story became part of the so-called “Lynbrook Triangle,” a chilling reference to multiple teen disappearances in the area during the 1980s.

Community members gathered outside the courthouse Wednesday, some holding candles, others clutching photos of Fusco. “She was just a kid,” said one neighbor. “We’ve waited a lifetime for this moment.”

As the legal process unfolds, the Long Island Daily News will continue to follow the case, honoring Theresa’s memory and the community’s long fight for truth.

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