The site where Arthur Shawcross dumped the body of June Cicero

This is the location where serial killer Arthur Shawcross dumped the body of June Cicero.

It is situated on Highway 31 near Ogden, New York.

In the early hours of December 17th, 1989, Shawcross picked up the 34-year-old sex worker on Lyle Avenue in Rochester. He then drove her out to a secluded area and strangled her to death.

When Cicero went missing, the authorities were quick to express their concern about her whereabouts. By that stage, more than half a dozen women had turned up dead in the Rochester area in less than two years. Furthermore, the 34-year-old fit the victim profile due to her history of drug abuse and prostitution.

Cicero's body was found underneath this bridge on January 3rd, 1990.

At the time, a police helicopter was searching Northampton Park for the remains of another missing woman named Felicia Stephens.

After finding nothing of note, the crew decided to circle around the area one more time before calling it quits.

During their final flyover, they noticed that a vehicle was parked on Route 31. Then, moments later, they spotted a body lying in a culvert beside the road.

When Shawcross saw the helicopter, he got into his car and drove away. However, the police followed him from above until they were able to get a clearer look at his license plate.

Shawcross' habit of returning to the crime scene had provided the authorities with a vital breakthrough in the case.

Two days later, the 44-year-old restaurant worker was finally arrested.

Further information is available in the "Photos" section below.

Photos

Photos of the site and other related images.

Bridge

June Cicero was found in a culvert under Route 31, just north of Northampton Park.

At the time, Salmon Creek had frozen over. As a result, her body was lying on top of the ice.

During one interview, Shawcross recalled how he dumped the body:

"It was snowing real bad one night. I went out on Route 19, I think it was. I crossed over onto 31 and headed back towards the city. And there were no cars coming, so I just opened the door and pushed her out. She went over the bridge and knocked some snow down. Went down into the water. And I just closed the door and kept going."

Missing

Three days after Cicero went missing, a spokesperson for the Rochester Police Department expressed concern for her whereabouts.

However, they also acknowledged that her disappearance was not unusual, as she lived a transient lifestyle.

Then and now

On the left, you can see an aerial image of the crime scene. At the time, the police had just discovered Cicero's body.

The image on the right shows what the area looks like today. Judging by Google Street View, the road was significantly widened during the summer of 2018.

Helicopter

Image source: The Pittsburg Press - January 6th, 1990.

State police sergeant Ken Hundt was one of the pilots who spotted Shawcross driving in the area. He believed that it was a "matter of luck".

Lyell Avenue

Cicero was last seen near 67 Lyell Avenue. At the time, the area had a reputation for prostitution.

Coordinates: 43.164568, -77.625269

Google Maps Link

Obituary

At the time of her death, she had a 9-year-old son named Tristan.

Crime scene

This Google Street View image of the culvert was captured in May of 2022.