Samantha Humphrey Cause of Death: What We Know So Far

Samantha Humphrey was a 14-year-old girl who went missing on November 25, 2022, in Schenectady, New York. Her body was found in the Mohawk River on February 22, 2023, after months of extensive searches by the police and her family. The cause of her death has been a mystery for a long time, but recently some new details have emerged that shed some light on this tragic case.

Autopsy Report Reveals She Was Shot in the Head

According to the autopsy report, Samantha Humphrey was shot in the head just once before she passed away. Her death was ruled to be a homicide, according to the medical examiner. Ballistics testing is being done to identify the weapon used after the bullet was found during the autopsy.

This finding contradicts the initial speculation that Samantha might have drowned or committed suicide in the river. It also raises questions about who shot her and why. The police have not named any suspects or persons of interest in the case so far.

DNA Evidence Links Her to a Person Well Known to Her

A source close to the investigation told NEWS10 that early in the investigation police located a pair of socks in the same area where Samantha’s jacket had been found along the Mohawk River, and that DNA belonging to a person who was well known to Samantha was lifted from that pair of socks.

Three sets of DNA had already been linked to her jacket. One set belonging to Samantha and another to an adult male who is currently being held in the Schenectady County Jail on an unrelated matter. The owner of the third set of DNA has not been shared with News 10, and it is also unclear if it is the same DNA that belongs to the person connected to the socks.

The police have not revealed how this person well known to Samantha is related to her or what role they might have played in her death. They have also not disclosed if they have interviewed or questioned this person.

Police Treat Her Death as a Homicide Investigation

Schenectady police officially labeled Samantha Humphrey’s death a homicide on March 3, 2023. They said they are awaiting additional results from the autopsy and other potential evidence they have sent out for testing. They have also executed multiple search warrants as part of their investigation.

Police Chief Eric Clifford said they have not ruled out anything at this point, including homicide, suicide, or accidental death. He said they are putting a lot of effort into finding out the truth of what happened, and the best way they can do that is to treat it as if it were a homicide.

He also said they are looking into why Samantha’s body was not found before February 22, even though it was pulled from the water in the area of Riverside Park in the Stockade neighborhood that was the focal point of the search by dive teams.

Family Seeks Justice and Closure

Samantha’s family has been devastated by her loss and is seeking justice and closure for her. They have raised funds to pay for billboards and a $10,000 reward aimed at convincing someone to come forward with information about her death.

They have also held a memorial service for her on March 6, 2023, where they remembered her as a loving, caring, and smart girl who had a bright future ahead of her. They urged anyone who knows anything about her death to contact the police or Crime Stoppers.

Samantha Humphrey’s death has shocked and saddened many people in Schenectady and beyond. Her case remains unsolved and many questions remain unanswered. Hopefully, the police will be able to find out what happened to her and bring whoever is responsible to justice.