The artist was working off a sketch of a man who attempted to grab a woman in Williamstown less than an hour before Burdick went missing.
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Law enforcement has renewed its search for a suspect in the 1982 disappearance of Lynn Burdick from the town of Florida.
The Berkshire District Attorney's Office and the State Police Berkshire Detective Unit are releasing a new forensic sketch and four age-progressed variations of a suspect.
State Police began investigating the disappearance of then 18-year-old Burdick on April 17, 1982, when she went missing at some point between 8 p.m. and 8:45 p.m. while working alone at the Barefoot Peddler's Country Store on Route 2 in Florida.
The DA's Office and State Police continue to actively investigate the case with a focus on a separate attempted abduction that occurred 45 minutes earlier, 13 miles away in Williamstown. The sketches released today are of the suspect in the Williamstown abduction attempt.
The office collaborated with a law enforcement forensic artist with the Lincoln Police Department to generate updated images based on recent case interviews.
Evidence indicates that the suspect is a white male, 5-foot-7 inches tall and is now approximately 70 years old. Further case data suggests that he may have ties to the state of Vermont. Investigators are releasing a new sketch of how the suspect appeared in 1982 and four aged-progressed sketches of how he may appear today, with assorted grooming alterations.
“I thank the witnesses and the entire Burdick family for their strength and dedication while continuing to work with investigators assigned to Lynn's case. My office, the Berkshire State Police Detective Unit, and the Massachusetts State Police Unresolved Case Unit remain steadfast in following up on every lead and bringing advanced resources to unresolved homicides," District Attorney Andrea Harrington said.
"I also thank the Lincoln Police Department for providing us the specialized forensic sketching resources to further assist in this investigation. I ask the public to share these images and if anyone has information about this case to contact the Berkshire State Police Detective Unit or the Massachusetts State Police Unresolved Case Unit."
Investigators ask that anyone with information to contact the Berkshire State Police Detective Unit at 413-499-1112 or email the Massachusetts State Police Unresolved Case Unit at mspunresolved@pol.state.ma.us.
Burdick's fate is one of several unsolved mysteries in the Berkshires. Two other women about the same age, Cynthia Krizack and Kim Benoit, had also been abducted and found strangled in the northern part of the county within the previous six years.
Eight years earlier, the body of Kim Benoit of North Adams was found off a lonely stretch of road in Hoosac Tunnel in the town of Florida after going missing two weeks earler. The DA's Office has offered a reward in that case after renewing the search for Benoit's killer last fall.
Burdick is about 5-foot-5 and had dark brown and glasses. Her family posted billboards around the region earlier this year in hopes of jogging memories. The McCann High senior would be 58 years old. The small store that she worked at was torn down years ago.
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.
Your Comments
iBerkshires.com welcomes critical, respectful dialogue. Name-calling, personal attacks, libel, slander or foul language is not allowed. All comments are reviewed before posting and will be deleted or edited as necessary.
No Comments
NBSU OKs Administrator Contracts
By Tammy Daniels iBerkshires Staff
CLARKSBURG, Mass. — The Northern Berkshire School Union Committee approved three-year contracts for two administrators and made plans for the departure of a third.
The committee at its Thursday meeting, held virtually, voted the contracts for Assistant Superintendent Tara Barnes and Director of Information Technology Josh Arico.
Business Administrator Lisa Blackmer gave her 90-day notice two weeks ago with final date of March 14. Her two-year contract was approved in December 2023.
Both Arico and Barnes were applauded for their work and given everything they requested.
Barnes will receive a 3 percent raise in each of the next three years, have her transportation stipend rolled into her salary, a longevity clause and allowed up to four days for remote work for family reasons.
She noted she has brought in nearly $1 million in competitive grants and manages the federal entitlement grants. Superintendent John Franzoni supported her requests, which they had discussed prior to the meeting.
"One of our goals was to go to each school each week, and I think that she does fulfill that," he said. "So the request about the remote work really, she does do it as needed, but it doesn't impact her schedule to make sure she's at all the schools, each week, and really, she goes above and beyond."
Jesse Saylor of TSKP Studio, the school project designer, said the conductivity of the soils were comparable or better than three recent school completed in Connecticut.
click for more