PATCHOGUE, NY — Thirty years ago, a car bomb killed a Suffolk County detective in front of his own home.
Detective Dennis Wustenhoff died on Feb. 15, 1990. The FBI has agreed to review the case and there’s a $10,000 reward for information leading to an arrest.
“It has been 30 years and Detective Wustenhoff’s murder remains unsolved. Therefore, it is important that the department takes advantage of every resource available,” Suffolk County Police Commissioner Geraldine Hart said. “Detective Wustenhoff’s family, along with colleagues from the department, deserve justice in this case.”
He was in an unmarked police vehicle and worked as a narcotics detective when he was killed. Wustenhoff’s son followed in his footsteps and joined the police department in 2005. The detective was also survived by his wife and two daughters.
His family launched a Facebook group to get justice for him. In it, one of his daughters remembered her last night with him. They went to a father-daughter dance together.
“I didn’t get to dance with you at my wedding, but at least the last thing we did together was dance,” she wrote. “One day we’ll dance again. For now, I’m fighting for you till the bitter end.”
Fast cash is a reward that is issued within 72 hours of an arrest. Anyone with information about this incident can contact Suffolk County Crime Stoppers to submit an anonymous tip by calling 1-800-220-TIPS, utilizing a mobile app which can be downloaded through the App Store or Google Play by searching P3 Tips, or online at www.P3Tips.com. All calls, text messages and emails will be kept confidential.
