PLEASANTVILLE, N.Y. (WCBS 880) — A vigil was held Monday night in Westchester County to mark the 25th anniversary of a murder that remains unsolved to this day.
Without fail for the past two decades, volunteer firefighters in Pleasantville keep vigil to honor one of their own, who was murdered in the middle of a blizzard.
“We promised not to forget and we're not going to,” says firefighter John Brooks.
He notes that community members from all over the town gather as well to honor volunteer firefighter Tom Dorr.
“He was a very tall guy. He was about 6'7, 6'8. Nicknamed the Gentle Giant by his friends at the White Plains Water Department,” Brooks said.
Dorr was murdered in 1996, during one of the worst blizzards on record. Though, firefighters, family and friends did not know something was wrong until he failed to show up to his fire house.
“The fire department sent out a search team and they found him I think from a hundred yards from his house in two-feet of snow,” Brooks explained.
He says when firefighters found him, he had been beaten and stabbed to death.
Although an investigation was launched, the killer was never discovered.
Brooks says, however, that he thinks the murderer was able to evade punishment.
“Definitely suspect the stepson and they just have never been able to prove it,” he told WCBS 880.
Brooks hopes 25 years later someone will come forward.
Firefighters planted a sapling maple tree as a memorial all those years ago that is now 40 feet tall.
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