The Unsolved Murder of Detective Dennis Wustenhoff

Suffolk County Police Detective Dennis J. Wustenhoff was killed on February 15, 1990, when a bomb planted under his undercover car exploded as he turned the ignition outside his North Patchogue home on Long Island. The Dennis Wustenhoff murder remains the only unsolved killing of a Suffolk County officer in the department’s history. Investigators focused on a Nassau County police officer whose wife had been involved with Wustenhoff, but no one has ever been arrested or charged. A $100,000 reward is currently offered for information leading to an arrest.¹²

What Happened That Morning

Wustenhoff, 41, walked out to the white Cadillac Eldorado he used for undercover work, parked in front of his house. When he started the engine, a device fixed to the undercarriage detonated. The blast was powerful enough to blow out the windows of the family’s home. A neighbor who was a firefighter pulled him from the wreckage, still conscious. He was airlifted to Stony Brook University Hospital and died about three hours later.³

Suffolk County Police Commissioner Daniel Guido later described the device as “not a simple pipe bomb.” It had been built so that the force of the explosion was directed upward into the vehicle.⁴

Two Theories: Drug Revenge or a Love Triangle

Wustenhoff had spent roughly two decades with the Suffolk County Police Department, the final six years as an undercover narcotics detective working major drug-trafficking cases.⁵ Investigators pursued two motives in parallel. Commissioner Guido told reporters the “most likely motive” was revenge connected to a drug bust.⁴

Within days, a second theory took over. Law enforcement officials disclosed that Wustenhoff had been having an affair with the wife of a Nassau County police officer.⁶

The Officer Who Became the Focus

The husband was Robert Horan, a roughly 20-year veteran of the Nassau County Police Department assigned to its Emergency Services Bureau. He had also worked with a hazardous-materials unit, which law enforcement officials said would have given him working knowledge of explosives and detonation methods. His wife, Nancy Horan, worked as a part-time secretary in the Long Island office of the federal Drug Enforcement Administration.⁶

Officials reported that Horan had allegedly told a retired Suffolk County detective that he intended to kill Wustenhoff.⁷ Horan was reassigned from Emergency Services to a desk job in the records bureau at Nassau County police headquarters in Mineola.⁸

Why No One Was Charged

As of August 1990, Horan remained the central figure in the investigation, but prosecutors did not file charges.⁷ Horan’s attorney, Stephen P. Scaring, denied his client’s involvement and said the lack of an arrest showed that authorities were “not able to make a case against Bob Horan.” Suffolk County District Attorney James Catterson and Commissioner Guido refused to discuss details publicly, with a spokesperson for the prosecutor’s office calling it “just too sensitive a case.”⁹ The case eventually went cold.

Where the Case Stands Now

The investigation reopened in a visible way in early 2020. Melissa Wustenhoff Scelsi, the detective’s youngest daughter, created a Facebook group called “Justice for Dennis J. Wustenhoff” ahead of the 30th anniversary. It grew past 5,000 members within weeks. On February 14, 2020, the Suffolk County Police Department announced that the FBI had agreed to review the evidence and information in the case. Then-Commissioner Geraldine Hart said the department remained “committed to apprehending the perpetrator or perpetrators responsible.” Chief of Detectives Gerard Gigante said advances in technology and investigative practices made a fresh look worthwhile.⁵¹⁰

The reward has climbed over time. Suffolk County Crime Stoppers initially offered $10,000. By 2021 family fundraising had pushed the figure to roughly $60,000.¹¹ On February 15, 2023, the 33rd anniversary, Suffolk County Police Commissioner Rodney Harrison announced that the reward had been increased to $100,000, funded by a personal contribution from Fran Wustenhoff along with donations from Crime Stoppers, police unions, and private donors. Harrison said the goal was to “rejuvenate the investigation” and encourage someone to come forward with what he called the “linchpin piece of information.”²

The case remains open and active. No new arrests, charges, or publicly reported breakthroughs have followed the FBI’s review or the reward increase. Anyone with information can contact Suffolk County Crime Stoppers at 800-220-8477 or submit tips through the P3 Tips mobile app.¹

Who Dennis Wustenhoff Was

Wustenhoff was born in Queens and raised on Long Island. He was drafted into the United States Army during the Vietnam War and served as a military police officer; his family says he was awarded a Bronze Star and a Purple Heart.¹¹ He joined the Suffolk County Police Department in 1970. He was survived by his wife, Fran, and three children: Jennifer, Kevin, and Melissa, who were 14, 12, and 10 at the time of his death.⁵ Melissa Wustenhoff Scelsi has said she wants her father remembered for his service, not the circumstances of his death: “He did so much more for the world. For the community. The murder, the affair doesn’t define him.”

1
NBC New York. Family Ups Reward to $100K to Find Killer of Long Island Detective in 1990 Car Bombing
2
Newsday. Wustenhoff Reward Increase Car Bomb Suffolk Police
3
NBC News. Family Wants Justice in 1990 Cold Case Murder of Suffolk County Detective
4
UPI. Love Triangle Suspected in Bomb Slaying of Detective
5
NBC News. Family Wants Justice in 1990 Cold Case Murder of Suffolk County Detective
6
The New York Times. Officer Is Questioned as a Suspect in Bombing Death of LI Detective
7
The New York Times. A Police Officer Is Still the Focus in Bomb Inquiry
8
UPI. Love Triangle Suspected in Death of Detective
9
The New York Times. 7 Weeks Later, No Answers in Killing
10
CBS News New York. Detective Dennis Wustenhoff Murder Cold Case Suffolk County Police
11
Project: Cold Case. Dennis Wustenhoff