JAMESVILLE – In the wake of the 25th anniversary of a Syracuse resident’s murder, the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office announced it is offering a reward for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of whoever was responsible.
On Sept. 1, 1996, the naked and left-for-dead body of 42-year-old Carol Ryan was discovered bearing multiple trauma wounds near the Jamesville Reservoir in a driveway across from the highway garage.
An explosive device had been intimately inserted into Ryan’s body and detonated. She was then taken to Upstate University Hospital, where she later died from her injuries.
It is presumed that prior to the murder, she was last seen walking back to her Grant Village apartment after leaving the East Room bar on James Street around closing time the night before. She had reportedly been wearing a black jacket with fringe, a silver silk blouse and dark jeans.
The county sheriff’s office is putting forth an anonymously sponsored $10,000 reward for information that would assist in solving the cold case.
“At this point, it is highly unlikely that there would be multiple people providing info that would lead to this, but everything received would have to be evaluated,” said sheriff’s office spokesman Sgt. Jon Seeber. “The pool of money could be split if there were multiple critical tips, or perhaps the donor would provide additional funding.”
Despite the passage of more than two decades and the possibility that the culprit may now be deceased, the sheriff’s office remains “very optimistic” that the murder can be solved, an outcome that would foreseeably help to bring closure to Ryan’s family.
Anyone with relevant information can contact the office’s tip line by calling 315-435-3051 or by texting TIPONON and a message to 847411.