1992 Murder by Robert Schulman Solved With DNA, & YPD Detective Geiss
Cold crimes across the United States are being solved with the help of DNA evidence, but also with the help of geneology database companies, which compile information for those looking for information on their family roots.
A 29-year old Yonkers cold case was solved recently, thanks for Yonkers Detective John Geiss and the FBI. On June 27, 1992, an unidentifed female was found dead in a dumpster behind I Love NY Pizza, on Midland Avenue. The case remained unsolved until this year, when Detective Geiss traveled to the famies of Meresa Hammonds to inform them that the national DNA database had identifed Hammonds as the victim of murderer Robert Schulman.
Schulman was arrested in 1996 for several murders on Long Island, and for the Yonkers murder, but he couldn’t idetify the woman that he killed, explaining that he picked her up and brought her back to his apartment where they smoked crack cocaine. When he woke up she was dead, and his dismembered her body and left it in a Yonkers dumpster on Midland. Schulman was convicted of several murders and died in prison in 2006.
YPD Det. Geiss reopened the case in 2014 and used the advances in DNA technology to see if he could find a link to ID the victim. Eventually, the evidence went from the Westchester County forensics lab to the national DNA database. And this year, 2021, the FBI was able to link the DNA from the victim to members of her family who had used a geneology website.
And, after the family was contacted in person by Det. Geiss, ‘Yonkers Jane Doe’ was identified as Meresa Hammonds, who was 31 when she was killed.
Carl Koppelman, a Volunteer Forensic Genealogist at DNA Doe Project made the annoucement on Facebook on Dec. 8.
“1992 Yonkers Jane Doe IDENTIFIED.On June 27, 1992, a construction worker searching for a lost lottery ticket discovered the body of a woman in a trash dumpster behind the I Luv New York Pizza parlor at 1288 Midland Ave in Yonkers, New York. She was unidentified for 29 years, known simply as “Yonkers Jane Doe”.She is one of five victims of serial murderer Robert Shulman, a 42-year-old postal worker, who was active from 1991 to 1995. He was originally sentenced to death, but his sentence was later changed to life without parole. He died in prison in 2006.The woman has now been IDENTIFIED, and I have the OK from her family to let the followers of my page know that her name is Meresa Hammonds. She was born in Kentucky in April of 1961, and was one of seven siblings. She spent much of her early years living in California. When she was older, she moved to Michigan, and then to New Jersey, where she and her sister worked as fashion models,” posted Koppelman.
Meresa Hammonds was one of seven children born in Kentucky. She eventually moved to New Jersey, and then fell on tough times. She was the mother of two sons, but had disappeared from her family at the time of her death.
Two comments below Koppleman’s post show us how Facebook can be used for the good of us all. “Carl koppelman I’m one of her sons . I’m truly thankful, and to detective John she will always be missed, was taken from all of us to young but like you said at least we know she was loved and can rest in peace. Best part is getting my mom’s family in my life, because before all of this I had no clue who they were. Love every single one of the hammonds family truly grateful to have found you. Better late then never . Love all off you more then you could ever know. My mom was truly loved and blessed. Rip MOM 92′,” posted Jason Di Trapani.
Jason’s new family posted back, “Jason Di Trapani The Hammonds family couldn’t be happier to have you in it now. It’s the biggest blessing in the whole tragic situation. 
Let’s make up for lost time as much as possible,” posted Marcia Hammonds.
Another post from Teena Hammonds reads, “This is our beautiful sister Meresa, Misa she went by, she is the “Yonkers Jane Doe”
she has a name, she is loved, she was taken from us by a Monster!!On Monday November 1st Dectective John Geiss from Yonkers police department showed up in Plymouth, Mi. at my brother’s door Kimmy, he gathered his siblings living in Michigan to speak with Detective Geiss, very professional humble man, can’t ever thank him enough and all the people looking for our sisters name/family, WE ARE SO GRATEFUL
after 29 years of Dedication, the Articles, channel 12 news and a face book page dedicated to our beloved sister Meresa/Misa, we thank you for your work and dedication, MUCH RESPECT, AND GRATITUDE FROM ALL OF Our Family, MUCH RESPECT GOD BLESS ALL 
THANK YOU CARL
greattttt work!”
Great Police work by Yonkers Police Department Detective John Geiss!
