It was a warm summer day, August 8th, 1995, when 16-year-old Kelley Gaffield left her home in the quiet Village of Webster, New York, to meet up with friends. But Kelley never came back. And she was never seen alive again. In the days and weeks that followed, the Webster Police Department received more than 400 tips. Officers chased down every possible lead. Still, nothing. No sign of Kelley. No clues. Just silence. Then, on October 22nd more than two months later a hunter walking through the woods behind Phillips Village Apartments, where Kelley lived, made a horrifying discovery. A body. It was badly decomposed. So much so that investigators could only confirm the identity through dental records. It was Kelley. For 30 years, her murder has remained unsolved. No arrests. No solid suspects. No justice. Was it someone from the neighborhood? Someone she knew? Or was it a stranger just passing through who took her life and vanished? Today, Kelley's family still waits for answers. For closure. For justice. This is more than a cold case it’s a haunting reminder that evil doesn’t just lurk in big cities or dark alleys. Sometimes, it hides in quiet suburbs and familiar streets.
Sources:
Democrat and Chronicle – Kelly A. Gaffield – Obituary – October 26, 1995
Democrat and Chronicle – Girl, 16, likely died soon after she was last seen – Amy Mayron – May 18, 1996
Democrat and Chronicle – Ceremony offers time to remember Kelley Gaffield – October 20, 1996
Democrat and Chronicle – Who Murdered Kelley Garfield – August 9, 1997
Democrat and Chronicle – Walk will recall slaying victim – August 5, 1999
Democrat and Chronicle – Grim pilgrimage may shed light – Jefferey Blackwell – August 7, 1998
13WHAM – Webster murder still cold 25 years later – Dan Schrack – August 8, 2020 - Webster murder still cold 25-years later
Fox Rochester – Crime Stoppers: Kelley Gaffield’s unsolved death – July 22, 2025 - Crime Stoppers: Kelley Gaffield's unsolved death
News10 – Webster murder remains a mystery 30 years later – Mariella Santiago – August 8, 2025 - Webster murder remains a mystery 30 years later - WHEC.com
Rochester First – Webster police, mother seek answers 30 years after teen’s death – Gio Battaglia – August 10, 2025 - Webster police, mother seek answers 30 years after teen’s death
Webster NY – Criminal Investigations Section – CIS – Suspicious Death - Criminal Investigations Section (CIS) | Webster, NY - Official Website
YouTube – Inside the Evidence: Kelley Gaffield - Inside the Evidence: Kelley Gaffield
YouTube – Family searches for answers as 30-year cold case in death of Webster teen remains unsolved - Family searches for answers as 30-year cold case in death of Webster teen remains unsolved
YouTube – Kelley Gaffield’s mom discusses her daughters disappearance - Kelley Gaffield's mom discusses her daughter's disappearance
Wikipedia – Webster, New York - Webster, New York - Wikipedia
