Boyfriend Charged in 2022 Murder of Upstate New York Teen
A 17-year-old male has been charged with second-degree murder in the 2022 killing of 14-year-old Samantha Humphrey. Her body was found by a fisherman in the Mohawk River three months after she vanished following a meeting with her on-again, off-again boyfriend.
According to Schenectady County District Attorney Robert Carney, the teen, who was also 14 at the time of the incident, allegedly strangled Samantha after she told him she thought she was pregnant and wanted to keep the baby. He then reportedly disposed of her body in the river.
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The suspect, whose name has not been released due to his age, pleaded not guilty and is currently being held at a juvenile detention facility. He is being prosecuted as a juvenile offender, but Carney stated the case will remain in adult criminal court unless a judge decides otherwise, a move Carney said he does not expect.
A Timeline of the Humphrey Case
Samantha disappeared the night after Thanksgiving in 2022. Surveillance footage last captured her near Riverside Park in Schenectady’s historic Stockade neighborhood, shortly before midnight. Her body was discovered on February 22, 2023, in the Mohawk River.
While Samantha’s death was officially ruled a homicide, early autopsy results were initially inconclusive. Further investigation, including a review of the murder site, medical records, and new witness statements, updated the cause of death to asphyxiation by strangulation.
A Lengthy Investigation
The case drew widespread attention and fueled speculation on social media, which Carney admitted created delays by distracting investigators with rumors. However, tips from the public and new forensic evidence, including DNA testing, blood analysis, GPS data, and cell phone extractions, ultimately strengthened the case.
Prosecutors also obtained court-ordered eavesdropping warrants, which provided hours of recorded conversations relevant to the case.
Carney said his office even reconstructed a broken, password-protected iPad believed to contain key information by purchasing an identical model and using specialized software to access the data, a process that took nearly a year.
A special grand jury was convened for three weeks, hearing from 46 witnesses and reviewing 45 exhibits before voting to indict the suspect. He was arrested and arraigned on the morning of Wednesday, May 14, 2025, following the unsealing of the indictment.
Community Reaction
Schenectady Police Chief Eric Clifford called Samantha’s death “tragic and heartbreaking,” reaffirming the department’s commitment to keeping the case a high priority. The suspect had been attending High School in the Capital Region before his arrest. Yard signs offering a $20,000 reward for information leading to an arrest have been displayed throughout the city. DA Carney said during the press conference that he is unaware if any reward will be collected.
If convicted, the teen could face a maximum sentence of 15 years to life in prison.