56 Years Later New York State Police Still Looking for Herkimer County Woman’s Killer

The New York State Police are opening up one of their cold case files in an attempt to try and find the person or persons responsible for the death of a Herkimer County woman.

The State Police announced Wednesday that nearly 56 years to the date of her homicide they are once again trying to find out what happened to Donna Lee Hart, who was 25-years-old at the time. Police records indicate that Hart was at her home alone on the night of August 8th, 1968 on State Route 29 somewhere between Salisbury Center and Dolgeville.

It was around 12:45 a.m. that Donna Lee called her father, Richard Karla, at his residence just a few miles away. According to police archives, Hart told her father a man wearing a stocking on his head was outside her residence trying to break in. He immediately rushed over to her home and what he found was absolutely tragic.

Police say Hart's father arrived at the house around 12:50 a.m. and tried the front door, which was locked. He then heard gunshots from within the home. Karla then ran to the south side of the home to see that door had been forced open. Upon entering the home, he noticed the previously locked front door had been opened and the attacker escaped through it. Karla ultimately found his beloved daughter deceased in an upstairs bedroom of her home.

State Police say their investigation revealed,

Investigators found the intruder had fired a round through a wall next to the south side door, then forced the door open to gain entry to the house. Donna had retreated upstairs to a spare bedroom, where she hid herself in a closet. The killer ripped the closet doors open, shot Donna four times, and then ran down the stairs and out the front door.

Hart's father told police he heard a vehicle leave the area and head towards Dolgeville. It was learned later the suspect's car had been parked 350 yards away from the home on Hopson Road.

After a thorough investigation, hundreds of interviews and learning specific details, including the fact that the gun was a .22 caliber pistol, a suspect was never determined. The gun was never located and an arrest has never been made. As Thursday marks the 56th anniversary of this terrible crime, State Police are hoping SOMEONE may have information leading to a break in this icy cold investigation.

Anyone with such information is asked to please contact Investigator Chad Salls of the State Police Major Crimes Unit at (315) 366-6066.