DNA links deceased Long Island man to multiple murder and rape cases from the 1990s.
Authorities in Long Island have announced a significant breakthrough in the resolution of a murder and sexual assault case that had remained unsolved for decades, involving elderly patients from a now-defunct psychiatric hospital. The Suffolk County District Attorney’s office reported that DNA testing linked the late Steven Briecke to the brutal February 1997 murder of 69-year-old Ann Lustig, as well as the December 1996 sexual assault of an unidentified 82-year-old patient at the Kings Park State Psychiatric Hospital.
Both victims had been reported missing from the psychiatric facility, which served the area before its closure. The medical examiner determined that Lustig’s death resulted from blunt force trauma and neck compression; however, at the time, the investigation did not lead to identifying Briecke as a suspect.
In a separate incident, the second victim disclosed to investigators that she had been forcibly taken into a vehicle after refusing a ride. Following the attack, she was returned to the hospital. Authorities noted that both cases exhibited alarming similarities in nature, prompting investigators to see them as potentially connected. Despite the evidence gathered, technological limitations of the era impeded progress toward solving the crimes.
In April 2024, the Suffolk County District Attorney’s office formed a Cold Case Task Force dedicated to delving into these long-standing cases. With the cooperation of the Suffolk County Police Department, the task force utilized modern forensic methodologies which ultimately led to identifying Briecke as a primary suspect. His DNA profile had previously been cataloged due to prior convictions, including a 1985 case involving burglary and assault, as well as a 2003 sexual assault against a minor in Florida. Prosecutors highlighted Briecke’s history of multiple convictions related to public lewdness.
The investigation also focused on a van tied to the case, which was ultimately traced back to Briecke’s mother based on witness descriptions and corroborating evidence. The task force’s diligence in linking forensic evidence paved the way for resolving these heinous crimes that had long cast a shadow over the victims’ families and the affected community.
The District Attorney, Raymond A. Tierney, emphasized the importance of the Cold Case Task Force in addressing crimes that have lingered without resolution. He stated that the advancements in forensic science, combined with the dedicated efforts of law enforcement, have finally brought clarity and closure to these tragic events. Steven Briecke, who passed away on January 16, 2014, in Florida while on parole, was never brought to trial for these crimes.
