June 21, 2015

It has been almost 30 years since 16 year old Kimberly “Kim” Simon went for a walk from her home in Marcy, NY to meet a friend at Whitesboro Jr. High School.

On September 18, 1985, Kim disappeared while taking that walk on Mohawk Street.

Her body was found the next day in the dense woods not far from where she was last seen. Kim had been raped and strangled less than a mile from her house.

Over the years there have been many tips, leads, theories (including Satan worshipers) and suspects, including a man that was arrested, tried, convicted and sentenced to 25 to life for the rape and murder of Kim Simon.

After nearly 20 years in prison, that man was exonerated by DNA and the Innocence Project.

For 20 years Kim’s family thought they had justice, and as they prepare for the upcoming 30 year anniversary of Kim’s death they need someone to come forward with information to give them that justice.

Investigators need the help of the community and those that may have been too scared to talk in the past to come forward and tell the truth. Kim, her friends and family deserve answers.

If you have any information about Kim’s murder, no matter how small you think it is, please contact the Oneida County District Attorney’s Office at  (315) 798-5575 or Crime Stoppers at (866) 313-8477. You can also contact either Retired investigator: Jim Helmer (jim.r.helmer@gmail.com) or Current investigator: Dave Matrulli (dmatrulli@ocgov.net, 315-798-5575 or 315-527-3577).

New York State Crime Stoppers is offering a $5,000 reward to be paid for information that directly leads to an arrest and conviction of the person(s) responsible.

If you have a loved one that is the victim of an unsolved homicide please submit their case here for consideration in a future Cold Case Spotlight post.