Josette Wright was a 12-year-old girl from Carmel, New York, who disappeared on October 3, 1994, after getting off her school bus near home. Her skeletal remains were discovered in November 1995, confirming that she had been murdered. More than three decades later, her killing remains unsolved. The case returned to national attention when ABC’s 20/20 examined her disappearance, the overturned convictions of two men and renewed questions about the investigation on November 13, 2026.
Who Was Josette Wright?
Josette Wright was a schoolgirl living in Carmel, a community in Putnam County, New York.
She was only 12 when she disappeared in the autumn of 1994.
Josette’s disappearance devastated her family and created widespread concern throughout the community.
What initially appeared to be a missing-child investigation eventually became a homicide case.
Her story has remained in public discussion because of the circumstances surrounding her death and the lengthy legal proceedings that followed.
The case also raised questions about how investigators handled evidence and witness testimony.
When Did She Disappear?
Josette Wright went missing on October 3, 1994.
According to accounts of the investigation, she was last seen after stepping off a school bus near her Carmel home.
She did not return home as expected.
Her mother reported her missing the following day, prompting authorities to begin searching for her.
Investigators attempted to establish what happened during the period immediately after she left the bus.
However, the available information did not produce a clear explanation of where she had gone or who might have encountered her.
The disappearance remained unresolved for more than a year.
Where Was She Found?
Josette’s skeletal remains were discovered on November 22, 1995, in a wooded area near Fields Lane in Putnam County.
A hunter came across the remains approximately 13 months after she disappeared.
The discovery ended the uncertainty surrounding whether Josette was alive but introduced a more disturbing investigation.
Authorities determined that she had been the victim of a homicide.
Investigative findings indicated that she had been restrained and sexually assaulted.
The condition of her remains and the time that had passed created significant challenges for investigators attempting to reconstruct the crime.
What Happened to Her?
Josette Wright was murdered, but the identity of the person responsible has not been established through a surviving criminal conviction.
The investigation initially focused on local individuals whom authorities believed might have information about her disappearance.
Detectives gathered statements and pursued leads in an effort to identify those responsible.
However, the case later became controversial because of questions about the reliability of witness testimony.
The absence of conclusive physical evidence linking the original defendants to the crime also became an important issue.
These concerns eventually contributed to the collapse of the convictions obtained during the initial prosecution.
The 1997 Convictions
Anthony DiPippo and Andrew Krivak were convicted in 1997 in connection with Josette Wright’s rape and murder.
Both were local teenagers at the time of the crime.
Prosecutors relied heavily on testimony and statements gathered during the investigation.
The convictions initially appeared to bring the case to a close.
However, questions persisted about whether the evidence was reliable enough to establish their guilt.
The defence challenged aspects of the investigation, including allegations that certain witness statements had been improperly influenced.
Those challenges led to years of appeals and additional court proceedings.
Why Were They Cleared?
Anthony DiPippo was acquitted at his third trial in 2016, while Andrew Krivak was acquitted following a retrial in February 2023.
Their cases became prominent examples of the dangers associated with unreliable testimony and disputed investigative practices.
The absence of physical or DNA evidence directly connecting them to Josette’s murder was a significant concern.
As the legal proceedings continued, earlier evidence and witness accounts faced renewed examination.
Ultimately, neither man’s conviction remained in place.
Their acquittals meant that the criminal justice system no longer had a convicted perpetrator in Josette’s murder.
The outcome also renewed attention on whether investigators had overlooked other possible leads.
Who Is Howard Gombert Jr.?
Howard Gombert Jr., a convicted sex offender, has been discussed as a potential suspect in reporting about Josette Wright’s murder.
His name has appeared in investigative journalism examining the circumstances surrounding the case.
The true-crime podcast Devil’s Quarry has also explored questions about whether he could be connected to Josette’s disappearance.
However, Gombert has not been charged with Josette Wright’s murder.
Being identified as a possible suspect in media coverage does not establish criminal responsibility.
Any claims connecting him to the crime remain allegations or investigative theories rather than proven findings.
Robin Murphy’s Disappearance
Another disturbing case emerged in Carmel only months after Josette vanished.
Robin Murphy, a 17-year-old schoolgirl, disappeared in April 1995.
Like Josette, Robin lived in the Putnam County area.
Her disappearance raised questions about whether the two cases could be connected.
Unlike Josette, Robin Murphy has never been found.
Journalists and investigators have examined possible similarities between the disappearances.
However, no publicly established finding proves that the same person was responsible for both cases.
Robin’s disappearance remains a separate unresolved investigation.
The 2026 Investigation
The Putnam County Sheriff’s Office reopened the investigation into Josette Wright’s murder amid renewed scrutiny in 2026.
The renewed attention followed years of legal developments and questions about the original investigation.
Investigative reporting and podcast coverage brought additional public interest to the case.
The reopening created an opportunity for authorities to reconsider earlier evidence, review potential leads and examine information that may not have received sufficient attention.
However, reopening an investigation does not necessarily mean that investigators have identified a new suspect or obtained decisive evidence.
As of November 2026, no new conviction has resolved Josette’s murder.
ABC 20/20 Episode
ABC’s 20/20 revisited Josette Wright’s case in an episode broadcast on November 13, 2026.
The programme examined the disappearances of Josette and Robin Murphy, the history of the criminal investigation and the questions that remain unanswered.
It also brought renewed attention to the overturned convictions of DiPippo and Krivak.
For viewers unfamiliar with the case, the episode highlighted how a murder investigation can remain unresolved even after defendants have been convicted and imprisoned.
The broadcast also gave wider visibility to the families affected by the two disappearances.
Is the Case Solved?
No. Josette Wright’s murder remains officially unsolved as of November 2026.
Although two men were convicted in 1997, both were later acquitted after further legal proceedings.
No subsequent conviction has established who murdered Josette.
The investigation’s renewed examination has kept the possibility of future developments open.
Authorities may still receive information from witnesses or uncover evidence capable of advancing the case.
Until a responsible individual is identified and the evidence establishes what happened, the central questions surrounding Josette’s death remain unanswered.
Final Thoughts
Josette Wright disappeared from Carmel, New York, on October 3, 1994, when she was just 12 years old.
Her remains were found on November 22, 1995, confirming that she had been murdered.
The convictions of Anthony DiPippo and Andrew Krivak were eventually overturned, with both men later acquitted.
The case gained renewed attention in 2026 through investigative reporting, the reopening of the inquiry and ABC’s November 13 20/20 episode.
More than 32 years after her disappearance, Josette Wright’s murder remains unsolved, leaving her family without a definitive answer about who killed her.
