Manorville, NY - July 22nd, 2014 - Suffolk County Police today arrested a Manorville man for the murder of a woman who was found dead in East Patchogue on November 2, 1993 and for the murder of a woman who was found dead in Shirley on January 30, 1994.
Suffolk County Police Homicide Squad detectives arrested and charged John Bittrolff, 48, of 167 Silas Carter Rd., Manorville, with two counts of Murder 2nd Degree.
On November 2, 1993, Rita Tangredi, 31, was found nude in a wooded area off of Esplanade Drive in East Patchogue. Tangredi was beaten and strangled to death. Tangredi’s address was unknown at the time of her death.
On January 30, 1994, the body of Colleen McNamee, 20, who was living at 10 Hyacinth Lane, Holbrook, was found dead in the woods near Express Drive South, near the William Floyd Parkway in Shirley. McNamee was also found nude, beaten and strangled to death.
Detectives at the original crime scenes, in 1993 and 1994, recovered DNA evidence which linked these two cases together. In 2014 detectives, who are currently assigned to the Homicide Squad, recovered DNA evidence which linked Bittrolff to these cold cases.
Anyone with information about Rita Tangredi, Colleen McNamee or John Bittrolff, especially concerning their activities in the early 1990’s is asked to call the Homicide Squad at 631-852-6392 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-220-TIPS.
Bittrolff will be held overnight at the Fifth Precinct for his arraignment at First District Court in Central Islip on July 22.
A joint press conference will be held at the District Attorney’s Office in Hauppauge on July 22, 45 minutes after the defendant is arraigned.
A criminal charge is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.