Authorities Say They've Solved Millionaire Plumber's 1986 Murder

NEW YORK (1010 WINS)  -- It's a cold case no more. Nassau County law enforcement officials believe they've solved a 23-year-old robbery and murder of a Woodmere man.


Mona Rivera reports

Samuel Quentzel, 54, was shot to death after pulling into his driveway on Sept. 4, 1986 at around 7:10 p.m. Two men jumped out of a tan van and immediately came up the side of Quentzel's white Oldsmobile and shot him in the left side.

Quentzel was a millionaire who owned a plumbing business in Brooklyn. His checkbook was taken from his vehicle during the shooting, police said.

The murder suspects have been identified as 48-year-old Roger Williams, and 60-year-old Louis Slaughter both from Brooklyn.

They've been described by law enforcement officials as career criminals.

Nassau County prosecutors say they were able to match DNA from one of the suspects to a cigarette butt found in a van suspected of being the getaway vehicle.

Authorities then arranged for the two to be placed in a holding cell in police headquarters earlier this year, where they allegedly made statements implicating each other in the killing.

The pair refused to enter pleas Wednesday at their arraignment and said they intend to represent themselves. A judge entered not guilty pleas on their behalf.

The alleged triggerman -- 33-year-old Clifton Waters -- was accidentally shot to death four months after the Quentzel murder.

Photos of van and Quentzel from unsolved-crimes.com