The New Jersey State Police (NJSP), in collaboration with the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, has identified Larry Burney, formerly of East Orange, New Jersey, as the suspect in the 1982 murder of William Jenkins of East Orange. Burney died in 2005 while incarcerated at South Woods State Prison.
On April 20, 1982, members of the East Orange Police Department responded to 244 Halsted Street in East Orange, where officers discovered Jenkins deceased inside his apartment. Jenkins was found lying face down next to his bed with his hands and feet bound and had sustained multiple stab wounds.
The homicide was initially investigated by detectives from the East Orange Police Department and Essex County Prosecutor’s Office. Despite extensive investigative efforts, the case remained unsolved for more than four decades.
In 2024, members of the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office contacted the New Jersey State Police Cold Case Unit through the Garden State Cold Case Network for assistance with the investigation. As part of the renewed investigation, investigators submitted a key item of evidence associated with an unknown male DNA profile to Othram for single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) analysis. The testing was conducted to develop a SNP profile suitable for Investigative Genetic Genealogy (IGG) in an effort to identify the unknown male contributor.
In June 2026, through a collaborative IGG analysis conducted by the New Jersey State Police Cold Case Unit and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, investigators narrowed the unknown male contributor to one of three brothers with ties to Essex County, specifically Newark, New Jersey. Subsequent investigative efforts identified Larry Burney as the primary suspect.
Investigators then obtained a DNA reference sample associated with Burney, and a direct DNA comparison confirmed Burney as the source of the unknown male DNA profile recovered from evidence in the William Jenkins homicide investigation.
“The identification of a suspect in the 1982 murder of William Jenkins is a testament to the dedication and perseverance of our investigators,” said Theodore N. Stephens II, Essex County Prosecutor, and Mitchell G. McGuire III, Essex County Prosecutor’s Office Chief of Detectives. “At the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, we never give up on a case, even when it remains unsolved for decades. We continue to pursue justice for victims and their families no matter how much time has passed, and we are grateful to the New Jersey State Police for their invaluable assistance with the DNA analysis that helped lead us to a suspect.”
“The recent identification of a suspect in a 1982 murder case stands as a powerful reminder that the pursuit of justice never has an expiration date. No matter how many years pass, dedicated investigators continue to work tirelessly, refusing to give up on cases that have long remained unresolved,” said Jeanne Hengemuhle, Acting Superintendent of the New Jersey State Police. “Advancements in DNA testing have played a crucial role in uncovering new leads, bringing modern science to bear on decades old evidence. Most importantly, this progress brings long overdue closure to families who have carried the weight of uncertainty for generations, reaffirming our commitment to ensuring every victim’s story is heard and every case has the chance to be solved.”
Federal Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI) grant funding supports cold case investigative initiatives like this one and is awarded to the New Jersey State Police. This funding provides critical resources for unresolved violent crime investigations, including advanced DNA testing, specialized forensic analysis, investigative genetic genealogy, and other modern investigative technologies. Partnerships among the NJSP Cold Case Unit, NJSP Office of Forensic Sciences, county and local law enforcement agencies, the FBI, and outside forensic laboratories continue to provide investigators with new opportunities to resolve cases that have remained unsolved for decades.
Anyone with information regarding the murder of William Jenkins is urged to contact the New Jersey State Police Cold Case Unit at 1-833-4NJ-COLD or [email protected], or the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office at 1-877-TIPS-4EC or 1-877-847-7432.
Anonymous tips are welcome.
Republished courtesy of New Jersey State Police