True crime is a fascinating topic that has exploded in the mainstream media in recent years. Television shows such as “Unsolved Mysteries” broadcast cold cases to the general public. Such exposure results in many cases being solved, giving closure to families that had given up hope. The Empire State has more than its share of creepy mysteries. Read on to see some of the strangest unsolved mysteries in New York.

1. Long Island Serial Killer (bodies discovered 2010-2011)
Atiru/Wikimedia Commons
The Long Island Serial Killer is an unidentified murderer who has killed 10-16 people. His killing spree likely ran from 1996-2010, with the victims discovered between 2010-2011. His victims were primarily sex workers found via Craigslist. The killings are thought to be the work of a single individual. Several suspects have been investigated, but the killer has not been found. The murders are the subject of a 2020 Netflix film, "Lost Girls."
2. Murder of Mary Cecilia Rogers - "The Cigar Girl" (1841)
Alf van Beem/Wikimedia Commons
Mary Rogers was a beautiful tobacco store employee in New York whose body was found in the Hudson River. At first, the popular theory was that she was a victim of the many gangs that roamed the area. Some believed her fiancé killed her. It is also possible that she died during a failed abortion attempt and that the abortionist dumped her body. An Edgar Allen Poe story, "The Mystery of Marie Roget," was based on the death of the "beautiful cigar girl."
3. Murder of Arnold Rothstein (1928)
Chicago Daily News/Wikimedia Commons
Arnold Rothstein was a leader of New York City's Jewish mob. He was one of the first to recognize Prohibition as a great business opportunity, and made a great deal of money from bootlegging. Eventually, he had more than $10 million to his name. It's possible that he was even involved in the famous 1919 World Series fix. During a 1928 business meeting, he was shot and died a few days later in a Manhattan hospital. The shooter was never identified.
4. Murder of Abe Lebewohl (1996)
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Abe Lebewohl was a Holocaust survivor and owner of the beloved 2nd Ave Deli. The original shop closed in 2006, but two other locations are today run by Abe's brother. Abe was shot and killed in 1996 while delivering the deli's deposits to the bank. More than 1,500 people attended his funeral, but the murderer has still not been found. A park located near the deli's original site was renamed in his honor.
5. Thomas Jefferson's Son's Grave (2000)
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In 2000, historians discovered the grave of New York resident Thomas Jefferson. Nearby was a broken tombstone that read "Son of Thomas Jefferson and Sally Heming [sic]." DNA testing proved that the president definitely fathered at least one child with his slave Sally Hemings. However, this Jefferson was previously completely unknown. We may never know if he was the illegitimate son of the president that shares his name.
6. Kipsy (1899)
Wally Gobetz/Flickr
For many years, there have been rumors of a monster living in the Hudson River. Nicknamed Kipsy, there is no proof that the sea serpent exists. The last sighting of him was in 2009. Some believe he is the same as Champ, the legendary monster of Lake Champlain.

From murders to unidentified monsters, we sure have a lot of mysteries in New York! Share your favorite unsolved mysteries in New York in the comments.

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