Photo of Queens blackjack dealer, victim in cold case, released; found strangled in trunk.

The New York Police Department (NYPD) is revisiting the unsolved murder of Jeffrey Blackman, a blackjack dealer who was found deceased 26 years ago. The investigation has now taken a new turn as authorities seek assistance from the public in uncovering potential leads related to this long-standing case.

On April 20, 1999, Blackman, then 42 years old, was discovered in the trunk of an abandoned Buick parked illegally on Park Drive East near 72nd Avenue, just outside Flushing Meadows Corona Park in Kew Gardens Hills, Queens. He was reported to have been found at around 5 a.m. by law enforcement officers. The body was significantly decomposed at the time of discovery, and a subsequent examination by the city Medical Examiner determined that Blackman had been strangled and that a sharp object had been inserted into his nasal cavity.

In a bid to invigorate the case, the NYPD recently released a new photograph of Blackman, aiming to generate leads from the public. At the time of his death, Blackman resided approximately two miles from the location where his body was found and had ties to the Gambino crime family, notably with Bartolomeo “Pepe” Vernace, who was awaiting trial for two separate murders.

Blackman had last been seen alive on February 28, 1999, roughly seven weeks prior to his grim discovery. Investigators have speculated that his murder may have been motivated by a belief among his assailants that he was an informant, implicating Vernace in the 1981 murders of bar owners Richard Godkin and John D’Agnese.

The case took a significant turn over the years, as Vernace was acquitted of state murder charges shortly after Blackman’s death due to witness intimidation, including testimony from members of a prominent crime family. However, in 2014, he was convicted in federal court for the murders and sentenced to life in prison plus an additional 10 years.

Despite the passage of time, Blackman’s murder remains officially unsolved. In the recent year, the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers initiative has received several tips regarding the case, suggesting that community involvement may yet play a key role in bringing closure to this troubling mystery. Individuals with any information regarding the circumstances surrounding Blackman’s death are encouraged to contact the NYPD Crime Stoppers at (800) 577-TIPS, with the assurance that all calls will remain confidential.

As the investigation continues, the NYPD hopes that renewed awareness will encourage those with knowledge of the case to come forward, further assisting law enforcement in their enduring pursuit of justice for Jeffrey Blackman.