In November of 1999, acting upon information provided by the wife of Arthur Kinlaw, the SCPD recovered the remains of a female buried beneath a concrete patio at a Michigan Avenue residence in Bellport. The unidentified female victim was believed to have rented a room from Mr. Kinlaw and went by “Marie” or “Maria. ” Mr. Kinlaw later admitted to beating and stabbing the woman to death during an argument over rent in approximately 1983. The victim is described as a heavyset woman, approximately 300 pounds, possibly Black or Hispanic, who walked with the assistance of a walker and had a prior shattered femur. Items recovered with her remains included a rosary and a homemade blue jersey dress, and investigators believe she may have been a sex worker from New York City. To date, the victim has never been identified and is referred to as “Bellport Jane Doe.”
In 2000, Arthur Kinlaw was convicted in Suffolk County and the Bronx, respectively, for the murders of the Bellport Jane Doe and another woman known as “Linda,” whose body was recovered from the East River in the Bronx. He is currently serving a sentence of 20 years to life in prison.
Recently, in conjunction with Danielle Gruttadaurio, a forensic artist with the SCPD, the Cold Case Task Force was able to create an updated composite sketch of how the victim likely appeared prior to her death.
If you have any information about this case or the victim’s identity, please email contactda@suffolkcountyny.gov or call (631) 263-0526.