10-03-2022 4:50pm

The 40th Anniversary of Morris County’s Unsolved Case of Christopher Thomas

On October 1, 1982, Christopher Thomas was with his girlfriend at the Rockaway Townsquare Mall in Rockaway Township, N.J. when a male actor approached and shot him.

The actor was described as a white male, in his early 20s, approximately 5’5” tall, thin build, with a slight, dark mustache, shoulder-length dark hair parted in the middle wearing a blue coat and mirrored sunglasses. A composite sketch of the actor was completed. The case was ruled a homicide.

On Saturday, October 1, 2022, at the Morris Catholic High School (Crusaders Commons, 200 Morris Avenue, Denville) the Thomas family and friends, along with the Morris Catholic Community, and Morris County Law Enforcement, gathered in remembrance of the forty years since Christopher Thomas was fatally shot at the Rockaway Mall.

At 5:00 p.m., Mark Thomas (Christopher’s brother) addressed the public/media to aid the investigation by asking anyone with information concerning the fatal attack on his brother to come forward and help.

Mark also announced an increase in the reward for information to help solve this homicide.

Morris County, according to the Prosecutor’s Office, has thirty (30) unsolved cases with the oldest dating back to August of 1933.

This first case is known as IMO Anna Ulm.

On Sunday, August 13, 1933, the body of a deceased white female was discovered in Mount Arlington, N.J. The body was later identified as Anna Ulm, age 45. The case was ruled a homicide and no guilty party was ever charged.

IMO Thomas Large & Stanley Kukes

On Thursday, December 13, 1945, a highway maintenance worker discovered the bodies of two white males off Route 6 (now Route 46) in Montville Township, N.J. The bodies were later identified as Stanley Kukes, age 38, of Broad Street, Newark, N.J., and Thomas Large, age 38. The case was ruled a homicide for both victims, and no one was ever charged.

IMO Unidentified Male Infant (#1)

On Saturday, February 3, 1945, the body of an unidentified male infant was discovered off of Brooklake Road in Florham Park, N.J. The case was ruled a homicide.

IMO Santo Joseph DiStefano

On Tuesday, July 22, 1947, the body of a deceased white male was discovered along Green Pond Road in Rockaway Township, N.J. The body was later identified as Santo Joseph DiStefano, age 34, of Maryland Avenue, Paterson, N.J. Mr. DiStefano was last seen alive at Ernie & Buff’s Tavern, 21st Street, Paterson, N.J. on March 22, 1947, at around 12:00 a.m. The case was ruled a homicide.

IMO Hyman Goldstein

On Monday, July 19, 1954, the body of a deceased white male was discovered in the back seat of a sedan, which was parked on Swamp Road in East Hanover Township, N.J. The body was later identified as Hyman Goldstein, age 29, of South First Street, Brooklyn, N.Y. The vehicle had been stolen earlier that day at around 6:45 p.m. from Newark, N.J. The case was ruled a homicide.

IMO Unidentified Male Infant (#2)

On Sunday, March 13, 1955, the body of an unidentified white male infant was discovered by passersby off of Bridge #545, Long Hill Road, Harding Township, N.J. The case was ruled a homicide.

IMO John Richard Bowers

On Tuesday, July 31, 1956, the body of a deceased white male was discovered face down in a wooded area off Snake Hill Road in the Hibernia section of Rockaway Township. The body was later identified as John Richard Bowers, age 8, of Mount Vernon Place, Ivy Hill Apartments, Newark, N.J. John was last seen alive in the parking lot of the Ivy Hill Apartments on July 30, 1956, at around 9:30 p.m. and was reported missing by his mother, with whom he had resided, at approximately 10:15 p.m. A witness observed a black sedan leaving the scene, possibly belonging to the perpetrator. The case was ruled a homicide.

IMO Unidentified Female Infant (#1)

On Sunday, May 24, 1959, the body of an unidentified white female newborn baby was discovered and discarded in the woods near Vail Road in the Lake Hiawatha section of Parsippany, N.J. The case was ruled a homicide.

IMO Serena Waterman

On Wednesday, October 23, 1963, at approximately 8:45 a.m., authorities responded to a fire at 67 Linden Lane, Chatham Township, N.J. Serena Waterman, age 61, was discovered deceased at the scene. It was determined that Ms. Waterman had died prior to the fire and the case was ruled a homicide. Mrs. Waterman was last seen alive at her residence earlier that morning.

IMO Unidentified Female Infant (#2)

On March 3, 1967, the body of a female infant was discovered on Baileys Mill Road in Harding, N.J. The case was ruled a homicide.

IMO Alexander Messier

On Monday, February 3, 1969, at approximately 2:55 a.m., Alexander Messier, age 45, of Ryerson Avenue, Pequannock, N.J. was killed by an unknown male assailant outside his home. Mr. Messier had run outside chasing after the assailant after hearing his daughter scream for help.

The case has been ruled a homicide. A composite sketch was done of the suspect who was described as a white male, approximately 45 years of age, 200 pounds, approximately 6’ tall with receding brown hair, lots of hair on the sides, wearing a waist-length jacket with a ‘v’ at the neck.

IMO Unidentified Male Infant (#3)

On July 4, 1969, the body of a male infant was discovered on Long Hill Road in Harding, N.J.

IMO Joyce Coleman

On Saturday, February 28, 1970, at approximately 1:00 a.m., the Washington Township Police Department responded to the residence of Joyce Coleman, age 28, 245 Bartley Road, Washington Township, N.J., on a call from her husband. Mrs. Coleman was found deceased within her home. The case was ruled a homicide.

IMO Shum Sang & Toki Sang

On Sunday, January 18, 1971, at approximately 9:00 p.m., the Parsippany Police Department was summoned to 82 North Beverwyck Road on a report of two deceased bodies. Upon arrival, the police found the deceased body of Shum Sang, age 39, lying on the ground by his car and the body of Toki Sang, age 41, inside the car. Mr. and Mrs. Sang owned “The House of Sang” on Route 46 in Parsippany, N.J. which is a Chinese restaurant. The case was ruled a homicide.

IMO Walter “Whitey” Burd

On Tuesday, July 8, 1980, at approximately 7:00 a.m., the Roxbury Police Department received a report of a break-in at the Circle Lanes Bowling Alley in Ledgewood, N.J. Upon arrival, the police observed the deceased body of Walter Burd, age 57, of Main Road, Landing, N.J. Mr. Burd worked as the night watchman. The case was ruled a homicide.

IMO Richard Sikorsky

On Monday, August 11, 1980, at approximately 12:18 p.m., Richard Sikorsky, age 27, was found deceased in his basement apartment at 23 Western Avenue, Morristown, N.J. where he lived alone. The case was ruled a homicide.

IMO Dr. Rafael Morales

On Friday, July 24, 1981, at approximately 9:15 p.m., Dr. Rafael Morales, age 61, was found unresponsive next to his car in a parking lot on Elm Street in Morristown, N.J. The case was ruled a homicide. Dr. Morales was a forensic psychiatrist and maintained an office on Elm Street. A white, 2-door vehicle with a red interior was seen in the area around the time of the incident.

IMO James Wescoe

On Thursday, October 21, 1982, at approximately 3:14 a.m., an N.J. Conrail Train employee notified the Madison Police Department of a deceased male on the train platform at the Madison Train Station in Madison, N.J. The body was later identified as James Wescoe, age 34, of Charnwood Avenue, New Providence, N.J. Mr. Wescoe had been at the Park Tavern in Madison, N.J. around 12:30 a.m. on October 21, 1982. He was last seen alive at approximately 12:50 a.m. walking alone on Lincoln Avenue. The case was ruled a homicide.

IMO Judy Brown

On Wednesday, January 5, 1983, at approximately 12:52 p.m., the deceased body of Judy Brown, age 28, of Sherbrook Drive, Rockaway Township, N.J., was discovered in her 1973 Ford Maverick. The vehicle was located in the parking lot of Beefsteak Charlie’s Restaurant on Route 46 in Parsippany, N.J. Ms. Brown was last seen alive by a coworker at her place of employment, Bell Atlantic in Ledgewood, N.J., on Tuesday, January 4, 1983, sometime after 5:00 p.m. The case was ruled a homicide.

IMO Baby Jane Doe/Mendham Township

On December 24, 1984, the Mendham Township Police Department responded to 7 Harmony Lane on a report that two boys found a deceased baby. Upon arrival, police found the body of a female infant, recently born. The case was ruled a homicide.

IMO Josephine Dawda

On January 15, 1985, the body of Josephine Dawda was discovered inside 12 Olyphant Drive, Morristown, N.J. where she lived and worked as a live-in housekeeper. The case was ruled a homicide. A person of interest was seen in the area around the time of the homicide. This person was described as an African-American male, in his late 20’s, approximately 6’ tall with a medium build. A composite sketch of this person was completed.

IMO Lester Mickens

On Thursday, September 18, 1986, at approximately 9:00 a.m., the body of Lester Mickens, age 89, was found by neighbors in his residence at 1671 Route 23 in Kinnelon, N.J. Mr. Mickens was last seen alive on Wednesday, September 17, 1986, at around 3:00 p.m. by a neighbor sitting on his front porch. Mr. Mickens lived alone and was a decorated World War I veteran. The case was ruled a homicide.

IMO Robert Wunderle

On Thursday, November 16, 1989, at approximately 9:10 a.m., the body of a deceased male was discovered by a Rockaway Township Sewer Authority worker in a drainage ditch near Fireman’s Field on Beach Street in Rockaway Borough, N.J. The body was later identified as Robert Wunderle, age 45, of Canterbury Road, Westfield, N.J. He was clothed in a business suit and overcoat. The cause of death was determined to be gunshot wounds and the case was ruled a homicide. Robert was the Vice President of Economics at Supermarkets General Corporation located in Woodbridge, N.J. Robert was last seen alive on Wednesday, November 15, 1989, at 8:45 p.m. by a coworker at his place of employment. Robert’s company vehicle, a 1989 Mercury Grand Marquis, was recovered in Manhattan, N.Y.

IMO Elbrous Evdoev

On Saturday, May 6, 1993, at approximately 4:41 p.m., the body of a deceased male was discovered in the parking lot of G.I. Auto Salvage, Inc. located at 85 Old Bloomfield Avenue in the Pine Brook section of Montville, N.J. The body was later identified as Elbrous Evdoev, age 32, with a last known address of 3710 Laurel Avenue in the Seagate section of Brooklyn, N.Y. Elbrous was last seen alive on February 15, 1993, at his residence. The cause of death was determined to be gunshot wounds and the case was ruled a homicide.

IMO Reginald "Buck" Montgomery

On Tuesday, May 17, 1994, at approximately 10:38 p.m., the Lincoln Park Police Department received a call reporting the body of a male lying just off the roadway north of 170 Beaverbrook Road, Lincoln Park, N.J. The body was later identified as Reginald “Buck” Montgomery, age 25, of 185 E. 159th Street, Bronx, N.Y. The cause of death was determined to be gunshot wounds and the case was ruled a homicide. Reginald was last seen alive on May 17, 1994, around 6:00 p.m. in front of the Bronx County Courthouse located on the Grand Concourse in the Bronx, N.Y. Reginald was seen entering a 1992 Toyota Land Cruiser.

IMO Debra Walton

On Monday, August 2, 1995, at approximately 12:25 p.m., the Lincoln Park Police Department received a call reporting the body of a deceased female located in an industrial park at the end of Borinski Road, Lincoln Park, N.J. The body was later identified as Debra Walton, age 34, of 42 Auburn Street, Apartment C-2, Paterson, N.J. The cause of death was determined to be blunt force trauma. Debra was last seen alive on July 28, 1995, between the hours of 2:00 a.m. and 4:00 a.m. at the intersection of Passaic Street and Cianci Street in Paterson, N.J. She was reported missing to authorities by her sister on July 29, 1995. The case was ruled a homicide.

IMO Richard Breitbarth

On Tuesday, November 12, 1996, between 8:35 p.m. and 8:45 p.m., Richard Breitbarth, age 48, was shot several times in the driveway of his home located at 17 Baird Place, Whippany, N.J. He was also struck with a blunt instrument. Richard had just returned from shopping at a nearby grocery store. Richard was the owner and president of Biophase Systems, Inc. located at 259 New Road, Parsippany, N.J. The case was ruled a homicide.

IMO Greta Tim

Discovery of Human Remains identified as Greta Tim

DOB: 09/22/1993

Last Known Address: 38-40 Breakenridge Terrace, Irvington, NJ 07111

On Thursday, April 12, 2012, the human remains of Greta Tim were discovered by landscapers in an isolated area on Sylvan Way, Parsippany, NJ. Ms. Tim was originally reported missing by her mother out of Irvington, NJ, on August 1, 2008.

IMO Chafic "Steve" Ezzeddine

On Saturday, May 28, 2011, the deceased body of Chafic “Steve” Ezzeddine was found in the Kenvil Diner on Route 46 in Roxbury, N.J.

Chafic was the owner/operator of the diner. Chafic had operated the diner with his wife for almost 30 years. The case was ruled a homicide.

There is currently a $25,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person(s) involved.

If you have any information about any of these unsolved cases, please contact the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit at 973-285-6200, the Roxbury Township Police Department at 973-448-2100, the Parsippany Troy-Hills Police Department at (973) 263-4300 or the Morris County Sheriff’s Office CrimeStoppers Program at 973-267-2255.

Further information on how to leave an anonymous call or text message can be found at the CrimeStoppers Program website.

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