Stephentown

State Police have renewed calls for help to solve the 1983 sex-related slaying of a 15-year-old Stephentown youth.

Robert Gutkaiss vanished in June 1983. His badly decomposed body was found eight days later off East Road in Stephentown.

The death 33 years ago was highlighted in a news release Tuesday that asked for the public's help solving the cold case. Social media is a new venue being used to seek information on the old cases, State Police said.

Action in Gutkaiss case does not reflect new leads in the investigation, said Trooper Mark Cepiel, a spokesman for Troop G. Rather, it is the latest cold case the State Police have posted their Facebook page. The troopers began posting cold cases on social media earlier this year.

"Because this is something we'll be doing indefinitely, we selected the ones that involved children first," Cepiel said.

Gutkaiss left for his first day of work as a berry picker at Pease Farm in Stephentown on June 30, 1983. After working for two and a half hours that afternoon, he left on foot, heading north on state Route 22. The boy promised his supervisor he'd return for his paycheck that evening but never did. At 10:40 p.m., his mother, Grace Gutkaiss, reported her son, known as Bobby, had not returned home.

A missing person investigation was started but interviews and organized searches didn't lead to the teen.

A week later, a foul odor on a logging road about seven miles from the teen's home was reported to the State Police.

The next day, July 8, 1983, Gutkaiss' body was found. His death was ruled a homicide and police suspect that he was sexually abused, but the killer or killers of the teen were never arrested.

The public can call State Police at 518-783-3211 with information.

emasters@timesunion.com • 518-454-5467