“Hiding Beneath the Surface: The Putnam County School Girls”: 20/20 Reports on Josette Wright & Robin Murphy November 13 2026

ABC’s 20/20 investigates two cases involving schoolgirls from Putnam County, New York, in “Hiding Beneath the Surface: The Putnam County School Girls,” airing Friday, November 13, 2026, at 9/8c on ABC. The two-hour investigation examines the 1994 disappearance and murder of 12-year-old Josette Wright and the unresolved disappearance of 17-year-old Robin Murphy in April 1995.

Both girls vanished from the Carmel area of Putnam County, a community north of New York City. Their disappearances occurred approximately six months apart, raising questions about whether the cases could be connected and whether someone within the community possessed information about what happened.

Josette disappeared in October 1994. Her remains were discovered in a wooded area more than a year after she was reported missing. Two men, Anthony DiPippo and Andrew Krivak, were convicted of her murder in 1997, but both convictions were overturned following years of legal challenges. DiPippo was acquitted at a retrial in 2016, while Krivak was acquitted in February 2023.

Robin disappeared on April 9, 1995, after borrowing her mother’s car. Her vehicle was found at a shopping centre in Carmel, but investigators never established what happened to her. Her disappearance remains unresolved more than three decades later.

The investigations became connected through questions about possible suspects, including Howard Gombert, whose alleged conduct became important in litigation concerning Josette’s murder. Gombert’s name also appeared in the investigation into Robin’s disappearance, although he has not been convicted of involvement in either case.

The new 20/20 investigation examines the lives of both girls, the original police investigations, disputed witness testimony, allegations of coerced confessions, the collapse of two murder convictions and the unanswered questions that continue to surround both cases.

• Who Is Anthony DiPippo & Where Is He Now? 2026 Update & Profile
• Who Is Andrew Krivak & Where Is He Now? 2026 Update & Profile

Who Was Josette Wright?

Josette Wright was a 12-year-old girl living in Carmel, New York, when she disappeared in October 1994. Her death would become the subject of one of Putnam County’s most controversial murder investigations.

Josette was a school-aged child whose life ended before she reached her teenage years. The circumstances of her disappearance and the discovery of her remains attracted attention throughout the community.

Her mother reported her missing on October 4, 1994, after Josette failed to return home the previous evening. The report began a search for a child whose whereabouts could not be established.

The investigation remained unresolved for more than a year before a hunter discovered human remains in a wooded area of Putnam County on November 22, 1995.

The remains were identified as Josette’s, confirming that the missing-child investigation had become a homicide case.

Her death led to criminal charges against Anthony DiPippo and Andrew Krivak, whose convictions would stand for years before both men were acquitted in separate retrials.

Josette Wright’s Disappearance in October 1994

Josette disappeared on October 3, 1994, and was reported missing the following day. She was 12 years old and living in the Carmel area of Putnam County.

Her disappearance raised concerns because she had failed to return home. Investigators began attempting to reconstruct her movements and determine who might have seen her before she vanished.

The search did not produce a confirmed account of what had happened to Josette. Without her body, investigators faced significant difficulties establishing the circumstances of her disappearance.

The case remained unresolved through the following months, while her family continued living without an answer about whether she was alive.

The passage of time increased the importance of witness accounts and information about people who might have encountered Josette.

Investigators would build a criminal case based on evidence and testimony concerning her final movements and the circumstances of her death.

The discovery of her remains in November 1995 changed the investigation and provided a basis for homicide proceedings.

The Discovery of Josette Wright’s Remains

On November 22, 1995, a hunter discovered human remains in a wooded area of Putnam County.

Investigators identified the remains as those of Josette Wright, who had been missing for more than a year.

The discovery confirmed that Josette had died, ending the possibility that she might be found alive.

Authorities classified her death as a homicide and began examining the remains and surrounding evidence to determine how she had been killed.

The extended period between Josette’s disappearance and the discovery created significant forensic challenges.

Exposure to the environment and the passage of time limited the physical evidence available to investigators.

The condition of the remains became important during the criminal proceedings and later challenges to the original convictions.

Investigators were required to consider what the physical evidence could establish and whether witness testimony could provide a reliable account of the crime.

Those questions would remain central to the case for decades.

Who Was Robin Murphy?

Robin Murphy was a 17-year-old girl from Carmel, New York, who disappeared on April 9, 1995.

Her disappearance occurred approximately six months after Josette Wright was reported missing and seven months before Josette’s remains were discovered.

Robin had been working in the area of a shopping centre in Carmel and was expected to meet her boyfriend after borrowing her mother’s car.

She never arrived at the planned meeting.

Her vehicle was found at the shopping centre, creating questions about whether she had left the location with another person or encountered someone before reaching her destination.

Investigators were unable to establish what happened to Robin after her last known movements.

Unlike Josette’s case, Robin’s disappearance did not result in the discovery of remains or a confirmed homicide determination.

Her case has remained unresolved, leaving her family without a definitive account of her fate.

What Happened to Robin Murphy on April 9, 1995?

On April 9, 1995, Robin Murphy borrowed her mother’s car and travelled in Carmel, New York.

Accounts of her disappearance place her last known movements near a shopping centre where she had been working.

Robin was expected to meet her boyfriend but failed to arrive.

Her absence raised concerns, and efforts began to determine where she had gone.

The discovery of her mother’s car at the shopping centre became one of the central facts of the investigation.

The vehicle’s location suggested that Robin’s movements had been interrupted or that she had left the area without the car.

Investigators examined the circumstances of her disappearance but did not establish a confirmed account of what happened after she was last seen.

No criminal conviction has resolved the case.

More than three decades after Robin disappeared, the circumstances surrounding her last known movements remain a central question.

Why the Two Putnam County Cases Attracted Attention

Josette Wright and Robin Murphy disappeared from the same general area of Putnam County within a relatively short period.

Both were young girls whose disappearances generated concern among families and residents.

The proximity of the cases in time and location raised questions about whether there might be a connection between them.

But similarities between disappearances do not establish that the same person was responsible.

Josette’s remains were discovered in 1995, and her death was investigated as a homicide.

Robin’s fate remained unknown, leaving investigators without the physical evidence that might establish whether she had been murdered.

The two cases followed different legal paths. Josette’s murder led to prosecutions and convictions, while Robin’s disappearance remained unresolved.

The later collapse of the convictions in Josette’s case brought renewed attention to the possibility that investigators had failed to identify the person responsible.

Questions about alternative suspects contributed to continued interest in both investigations.

Anthony DiPippo and Andrew Krivak Charged With Murder

The investigation into Josette Wright’s death led authorities to Anthony DiPippo and Andrew Krivak.

Both men were prosecuted in connection with the 12-year-old’s murder.

The criminal cases proceeded during the 1990s, when investigators and prosecutors relied on the evidence available following the discovery of Josette’s remains.

In 1997, DiPippo and Krivak were convicted in separate proceedings.

Both received lengthy prison sentences, and their convictions appeared to provide a resolution to the murder investigation.

For Josette’s family, the verdicts represented a significant development after years of uncertainty surrounding her disappearance and death.

But the convictions did not end the legal disputes.

Questions about witness testimony, forensic evidence and information concerning another potential suspect became the basis for challenges to the verdicts.

Those challenges would lead to new trials and the acquittal of both men.

The Original 1997 Murder Convictions

Anthony DiPippo and Andrew Krivak were convicted in connection with Josette Wright’s murder in 1997.

The verdicts resulted in substantial prison sentences and established the prosecution’s original account of criminal responsibility.

The convictions were significant because Josette had been missing for more than a year before her remains were discovered.

The condition of the evidence created difficulties for investigators attempting to establish the events surrounding her death.

During the years following the trials, the defence challenged aspects of the evidence used to obtain the convictions.

The litigation raised questions about whether jurors had received a complete and reliable account of the case.

Evidence concerning Howard Gombert became important to those challenges.

The subsequent legal proceedings examined whether information involving another potential suspect could have affected the original verdicts.

The courts permitted retrials, creating the possibility that the original convictions would be overturned.

Both men were acquitted after their cases returned to court.

The Witness Testimony That Came Under Scrutiny

The original prosecutions relied on testimony from several young people who claimed to have information about Josette Wright’s death.

Denise Rose, who had dated Anthony DiPippo, became a central prosecution witness. She testified that she witnessed the sexual assault and killing of Josette inside a van.

Other witnesses, including William MacGregor and Adam Wilson, provided accounts that investigators used to support the prosecution’s theory.

During later proceedings, witnesses recanted important portions of their original statements and alleged that investigators had pressured them to implicate DiPippo and Krivak.

Dominick Neglia, whose statements helped direct investigators towards the two men, also recanted his allegations.

He described repeated questioning and pressure from detectives during the original investigation.

The recantations raised substantial questions about the reliability of the testimony used to secure the convictions.

Denise Rose maintained her account, but the defence challenged its credibility and the circumstances under which it had developed.

The subsequent trials examined whether the prosecution had established guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

Andrew Krivak’s Disputed Confession

One of the most important pieces of evidence against Andrew Krivak was a confession obtained during police questioning in July 1996.

Krivak was a teenager when investigators questioned him about Josette’s murder.

He signed a statement implicating himself and Anthony DiPippo in the crime.

Krivak maintained that the confession was false and had been obtained through coercive interrogation.

His defence argued that investigators used pressure and information from the investigation to produce a statement consistent with the prosecution’s theory.

The confession became a central issue in litigation challenging his conviction.

Defence attorneys questioned whether the statement represented reliable evidence of guilt or reflected the circumstances of the interrogation.

The allegations attracted attention because of concerns about investigative practices involving young suspects.

Krivak’s acquittal in 2023 followed a retrial in which the defence presented evidence challenging the original prosecution.

The case became part of a wider discussion about false confessions, witness pressure and wrongful convictions.

Who Was Howard Gombert?

Howard Gombert became an important figure in later litigation concerning Josette Wright’s murder.

Evidence involving allegations against Gombert was examined during legal challenges to the convictions of Anthony DiPippo and Andrew Krivak.

The defence argued that information concerning an alternative suspect was relevant to whether the original prosecutions had established the guilt of the convicted men.

The significance of the evidence concerned whether jurors had been given sufficient information to evaluate competing explanations for Josette’s death.

Gombert’s name has also appeared in reporting and discussions concerning Robin Murphy’s disappearance.

Those discussions have contributed to questions about whether the two Putnam County cases could have a connection.

But allegations involving Gombert are not equivalent to a criminal conviction.

He has not been convicted of murdering Josette Wright or causing Robin Murphy’s disappearance.

The legal importance of the alternative-suspect evidence must be distinguished from any claim that his responsibility for either case has been established.

The Prisoner’s Allegations Against Howard Gombert

Evidence involving Howard Gombert became significant after Joseph Santoro, a man who had been incarcerated with Gombert, described statements he claimed Gombert made in prison.

Santoro alleged that Gombert discussed the deaths of two girls from Putnam County and referred to the convictions of other men in connection with one of the cases.

According to Santoro’s account, Gombert made statements suggesting knowledge of Josette Wright’s death and another missing girl.

The allegations became important because they offered the defence a potential alternative explanation for the crime.

Gombert’s alleged statements were not judicial findings that he had murdered either girl.

Their significance concerned whether jurors should have been allowed to hear evidence that could raise reasonable doubt about the prosecution’s case.

The New York Court of Appeals ruled in 2016 that DiPippo had been prevented from presenting relevant third-party culpability evidence.

The decision led to another trial, at which DiPippo was acquitted.

The allegations involving Gombert also formed part of the later proceedings concerning Krivak.

The court decisions addressed the defendants’ rights to present a complete defence, not a determination that Gombert was responsible for Josette’s murder.

The Complications Surrounding Joseph Santoro’s Testimony

Joseph Santoro’s allegations became a major part of the efforts to overturn the convictions, but his own conduct introduced complications.

Santoro claimed that Howard Gombert had made incriminating statements while the two men were incarcerated.

His account was used by defence attorneys seeking to introduce evidence of an alternative suspect.

But Santoro became involved in a dispute concerning compensation connected to his testimony.

Federal authorities investigated allegations that he and his girlfriend had sought money in exchange for his continued cooperation.

In April 2021, Santoro and Melodie Montefusco were charged in connection with an extortion scheme.

Santoro pleaded guilty to extortion and received a four-year prison sentence.

He maintained that his allegations concerning Gombert were true, despite admitting misconduct involving demands for money.

The episode created an additional credibility issue for courts and jurors considering the alternative-suspect evidence.

The dispute did not establish whether Gombert had committed either crime.

The Evidence Connecting Howard Gombert to Robin Murphy

Howard Gombert’s name has also appeared in the investigation into Robin Murphy’s disappearance.

Gombert had worked at a laundromat in the shopping centre where Robin was last seen in April 1995.

He knew Robin and acknowledged speaking with her on the day she disappeared.

Investigators recovered underwear identified as belonging to Robin from belongings associated with Gombert.

DNA testing connected the clothing to the missing teenager.

The discovery raised questions about how Gombert obtained the item and whether it had any connection to Robin’s disappearance.

Gombert maintained that he collected clothing left by customers at the laundromat, cleaned the items and donated them to charity.

That explanation did not establish what happened to Robin.

The presence of her clothing among his possessions became an investigative lead, but no criminal conviction resulted.

Gombert has not been convicted in connection with Robin Murphy’s disappearance.

The Search for Robin Murphy and the Missing Evidence

Robin Murphy’s disappearance left investigators with a different set of challenges from those encountered in Josette Wright’s murder investigation.

Robin’s vehicle was found at the shopping centre where she was last seen.

Her wallet and keys were recovered in a grassy area behind the shopping centre, according to accounts of the investigation.

Those discoveries raised questions about what happened after Robin arrived in the area.

Investigators searched for evidence that could establish whether she left voluntarily, encountered someone she knew or became the victim of a crime.

The passage of time complicated the search, with investigators unable to establish her fate.

No confirmed discovery of Robin’s remains has resolved the case.

The absence of a body has prevented investigators from establishing a cause or manner of death.

Although foul play has been suspected, her disappearance remains an unresolved missing-person case.

Robin’s family has been left without a definitive account of what happened after she was last seen in Carmel.

The 2024 Discovery That Raised Questions About Robin Murphy

In April 2024, the discovery of human remains in Putnam County prompted renewed attention to Robin Murphy’s disappearance.

The remains were found during excavation work at a property in the Town of Patterson.

Investigators examined whether the discovery might be connected to Robin, who had been missing since 1995.

The possibility attracted attention because the remains were believed to belong to a young woman.

DNA testing was conducted to determine whether they matched Robin’s genetic profile.

On April 25, 2024, authorities announced that the remains did not match Robin Murphy.

The finding ruled out the possibility that this discovery had resolved her disappearance.

The remains were identified in subsequent reporting as belonging to Karen Ramsey, a different missing woman.

For Robin’s family, the result meant that the search for answers continued.

The case remained unresolved, with no confirmed discovery establishing what happened to her.

How Alternative-Suspect Evidence Changed the Josette Wright Case

Years after the original trials, legal challenges raised questions about evidence involving Howard Gombert.

The defence maintained that information concerning another possible suspect could affect the reliability of the original convictions.

Courts examining such challenges must consider whether the disputed evidence could have changed the outcome of a trial.

That question is distinct from deciding whether an alternative suspect committed the crime.

Evidence suggesting another person might have been involved can undermine a conviction without establishing the identity of the killer.

In Josette’s case, the legal proceedings led to retrials for both Anthony DiPippo and Andrew Krivak.

The subsequent acquittals demonstrated that the prosecution could not secure convictions against either man when their cases were reconsidered.

The result left the murder without a surviving conviction against the two defendants.

It also renewed questions about the direction of the original investigation and whether other leads had received sufficient attention.

Anthony DiPippo’s Conviction Overturned

Anthony DiPippo spent years challenging his conviction in connection with Josette Wright’s murder.

His legal proceedings raised questions about the evidence presented during the original prosecution.

The challenges led to a new trial, allowing jurors to reconsider the case.

The retrial provided an opportunity to examine evidence and arguments that differed from those presented during the original proceedings.

In October 2016, DiPippo was acquitted.

The verdict ended the prosecution against him and removed the criminal conviction that had kept him imprisoned for years.

His acquittal was a major development in the history of the case.

It also raised questions about the reliability of the original investigation and the evidence used to secure the 1997 verdict.

The outcome did not identify another person responsible for Josette’s murder.

The case against Andrew Krivak remained the subject of separate legal proceedings.

Andrew Krivak’s Long Fight for a New Trial

Andrew Krivak was convicted in 1997 in connection with Josette Wright’s murder.

He received a lengthy prison sentence and spent years challenging the verdict.

His legal efforts focused on the reliability of the evidence and the significance of information that had not been presented in the original proceedings.

The case became the subject of extended litigation involving questions about alternative suspects and the fairness of the trial.

Evidence concerning Howard Gombert played an important role in the challenges.

The defence argued that the information was relevant to whether Krivak had been responsible for Josette’s death.

After years of proceedings, Krivak secured a new trial.

The decision allowed the prosecution’s case to be examined by another jury.

The retrial took place more than two decades after the original conviction.

It ended with a verdict that changed the legal outcome of the case.

Andrew Krivak Acquitted in February 2023

In February 2023, Andrew Krivak was acquitted at his retrial in connection with Josette Wright’s murder.

The verdict followed years of legal challenges to the original 1997 conviction.

Krivak had maintained his innocence and pursued efforts to have the case reconsidered.

The retrial gave jurors an opportunity to evaluate the prosecution’s evidence and the defence’s arguments concerning alternative explanations.

The acquittal meant that Krivak no longer stood convicted of Josette’s murder.

It followed Anthony DiPippo’s acquittal in October 2016.

The two verdicts removed the convictions that had formed the legal resolution of the case for years.

Neither acquittal established the identity of Josette’s killer.

The outcome left investigators and the victim’s family confronting the absence of a surviving murder conviction.

It also raised broader questions about the handling of evidence in the original prosecutions.

The Financial Settlements Following the Wrongful Convictions

The acquittals of Anthony DiPippo and Andrew Krivak were followed by civil litigation concerning their imprisonment and the conduct of investigators.

DiPippo pursued legal action after his release in 2016.

His case resulted in a reported $12 million settlement with Putnam County in 2020.

The settlement followed approximately two decades of imprisonment arising from a conviction that had been overturned.

Krivak pursued compensation after his acquittal in February 2023.

He filed claims alleging that his wrongful conviction had deprived him of decades of freedom.

In September 2023, Krivak settled a New York Court of Claims case for $5.72 million.

In October 2024, he reached a further $20 million settlement in federal civil rights litigation.

The settlements reflected the legal and financial consequences of the failed prosecutions.

They did not establish who murdered Josette Wright.

The criminal case remained without a surviving conviction against either man.

Where Are Anthony DiPippo and Andrew Krivak Now?

Anthony DiPippo was released following his acquittal in October 2016.

He had spent approximately 20 years imprisoned in connection with Josette Wright’s murder.

After his release, DiPippo pursued compensation and became associated with efforts to address wrongful convictions.

His legal case resulted in a substantial civil settlement.

Andrew Krivak was acquitted in February 2023 after spending more than two decades fighting his conviction.

His release and acquittal ended the criminal judgment that had kept him imprisoned.

Krivak pursued civil litigation and received settlements in 2023 and 2024.

Both men are no longer convicted of Josette Wright’s murder.

Their acquittals represent the outcomes of the criminal proceedings against them, although neither verdict identified the person responsible for Josette’s death.

The cases remain significant examples of the consequences of disputed witness testimony and alleged coercive investigative practices.

Why Josette Wright’s Murder Remains Unresolved

Josette Wright’s murder investigation resulted in two convictions that were overturned after years of legal challenges.

Anthony DiPippo was acquitted in October 2016, and Andrew Krivak was acquitted in February 2023.

The verdicts meant that neither man remained convicted of the crime.

The subsequent proceedings exposed serious disputes concerning witness testimony, interrogation practices and evidence involving an alternative suspect.

The original prosecutions had appeared to resolve the case, but the acquittals removed that legal conclusion.

The evidence concerning Howard Gombert raised questions about whether investigators had considered other possible perpetrators.

However, the allegations against Gombert have not resulted in a murder conviction.

The absence of a surviving conviction leaves the identity of Josette’s killer unresolved.

The case illustrates the distinction between overturning a wrongful conviction and establishing who committed the underlying crime.

For Josette’s family, the collapse of the original prosecutions means that the search for accountability has not produced a lasting criminal judgment.

What Happened to Robin Murphy?

Robin Murphy disappeared on April 9, 1995, when she was 17 years old.

She was last seen near the shopping centre in Carmel where she had been working.

Robin had borrowed her mother’s car and was expected to meet her boyfriend, but she did not arrive.

Her vehicle was found at the shopping centre, and her wallet and keys were recovered in the surrounding area.

Investigators examined her disappearance and pursued leads involving people who knew her.

Howard Gombert became a person of interest after investigators discovered clothing belonging to Robin among items associated with him.

Despite those findings, no one has been convicted of causing her disappearance.

Robin’s remains have not been found, and authorities have not established what happened to her.

The case remains an unresolved missing-person investigation more than 31 years after she vanished.

Her disappearance continues to be documented by missing-person organisations.

What Does 20/20’s Hiding Beneath the Surface Investigate?

ABC’s 20/20 returns to the cases of Josette Wright and Robin Murphy in “Hiding Beneath the Surface: The Putnam County School Girls.”

The two-hour programme examines the disappearances of two girls from the Carmel area during the 1990s.

Josette’s case became a murder investigation that resulted in convictions against Anthony DiPippo and Andrew Krivak.

Both convictions were overturned, and the men were acquitted in separate retrials.

Robin’s disappearance followed a different course, with investigators unable to establish what happened after she was last seen at a Carmel shopping centre.

The programme examines the questions surrounding the investigations, including allegations involving Howard Gombert and the possibility that important evidence was overlooked.

The special explores the consequences of the failed prosecutions and the uncertainty surrounding Robin’s fate.

The announced investigation does not establish that the two cases were committed by the same person.

It revisits the evidence, the legal proceedings and the families’ continuing search for answers.

What Was the Outcome of the Putnam County School Girls Cases?

Josette Wright disappeared from Carmel, New York, in October 1994 at the age of 12.

Her remains were discovered in a wooded area of Putnam County on November 22, 1995, and her death was classified as a homicide.

Anthony DiPippo and Andrew Krivak were convicted in 1997, but their convictions were challenged through years of litigation.

DiPippo was acquitted in October 2016, and Krivak was acquitted in February 2023.

Both men received substantial civil settlements following their acquittals.

No surviving conviction against either man establishes responsibility for Josette’s murder.

Robin Murphy disappeared from Carmel on April 9, 1995, at the age of 17.

Her vehicle was found at a shopping centre, but she was never located.

Investigators examined evidence involving Howard Gombert, who had known Robin and worked at the shopping centre where she was last seen.

Gombert has not been convicted of involvement in either case.

More than three decades after the disappearances, Josette’s murder remains without a surviving conviction, and Robin’s fate remains unknown.

“Hiding Beneath the Surface: The Putnam County School Girls” airs Friday, November 13, 2026, at 9/8c on ABC, with streaming availability on Disney+ and Hulu.

More “Hiding Beneath the Surface: The Putnam County School Girls’

• “Hiding Beneath the Surface: The Putnam County School Girls”: 20/20 Reports on Josette Wright & Robin Murphy November 13 2026
• Who Is Anthony DiPippo & Where Is He Now? 2026 Update & Profile
• Who Is Andrew Krivak & Where Is He Now? 2026 Update & Profile

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