Utica, N.Y. – After 24 years, investigators have solved the murder case of a Utica woman, police said Thursday.
Utica police responded to a home at 16 Barnes Ave. on Jan. 10, 2002, after a woman was found dead inside the residence. The victim was identified as Katherine Scott, 39, who also went by the name Katherine Liggins, according to Lt. Mike Curley of the Utica Police Department.
Scott was found wrapped in plastic and hidden under a mattress on the living room floor, police said. Based on the evidence and the medical examiner’s findings, her death was ruled a homicide and an inquest was opened.
The case was initially assigned to now-retired investigator Michael Acquaviva and later to retired investigators Anthony Salerno and Tricia Nicholson-Scully. For years, investigations have stalled due to a lack of confessions or direct eyewitness testimony, Curley said.
Nicholson-Scully continued to interview people connected to the case over the years. In 2024, prime suspect Jarvis “Jabo” Simpson died while being held in a federal detention facility.
After Simpson’s death, Nicholson-Scully worked with others to re-interview those close to the investigation.
The case was solved after a firsthand witness came forward and provided key information, Curley said. DNA technology did not play a significant role in the investigation.
The Oneida County District Attorney’s Office ruled that Simpson was responsible for Scott’s death. Her manner of death was manual strangulation and suffocation.
Police said they hope solving the case will bring peace to Scott’s family, who have waited more than two decades for answers.
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