LANCASTER, N.Y. (WIVB) – Nearly three and a half decades after 18-year-old James Adamski was murdered while walking home from a Halloween party at a bar in Depew, investigators are offering new incentives for someone to come forward with information that can bring his killer or killers to justice.

Crime Stoppers is offering a $1,000 reward and the Lancaster Police Department is offering $10,000 for information that leads to the indictment and conviction of whoever was responsible for Adamski’s death.

Adamski was last seen in the early morning hours of October 31, 1982, walking home on Transit Road after leaving a Halloween party at the old 5&23 bar. He was wearing what’s described as an “American Gigolo” costume and had been drinking heavily with the other party-goers at the bar.

When he had not returned home by later that morning, his family became alarmed and alerted police. A large search was launched, but no sign of Adamski was found near his home, the bar, or where he was last seen alive, walking on Transit Road between Broadway and Como Park Blvd.

Then, the day after Christmas, 1982, Adamski’s body was found in an old rail bed off Ransom Road in Lancaster by rabbit hunters. Adamski had been buried in a shallow grave, covered with twigs and leaves.

His cause of death was ruled to be head trauma. Police say they have not determined the murder weapon.

But, they’ve never given up hope that the case would be solved. “There’s definitely someone out there that knows the facts of this,” said Lancaster Police Detective Lt. Jim Robinson during a news conference to announce the reward Thursday morning.

“We speak for the dead and we can’t forget those who are brutally terrorized and murdered like this poor young man back in 1982,” said Erie County District Attorney John Flynn. “Whatever help the public can give, whatever information may be out there, someone may know something. Someone may have seen something.”

“There’s no statute of limitations on murder,” Flynn added.

Last year, 34 years after Adamski’s murder, Lancaster Police began looking into the case again. They reinterviewed everyone they could track down and retested all of the evidence using the latest forensics technology.

“It’s extremely difficult,” Robinson said, explaining that no one who worked the case back in the 80s is still on the force there today. “The case history is several boxes big of notes, photos, professional documents, so you have to make yourself quite aware of everything.”

Now, with new perspective on the case, Lancaster Police and Crime Stoppers are hoping a large monetary reward will get someone give them the information they need to finally solve the case. “I think in today’s world, it’s all about the money sometimes. People will come forward,” said Kevin Hoffman, Crime Stoppers Buffalo chairman.

“People who were at the bar who may not even think they know something, probably do know something,” Flynn said.

Anyone who can help investigators is urged to call Crime Stoppers at (716) 867-6161 or email the information to info@crimestoppersbuffalo.com

Tips can also be submitted through the Crime Stoppers Buffalo website: www.crimestoppersbuffalo.com