Who killed Robert Freese? Victim’s ID revives a 50-year-old cold case in Broward

The identification of a young man found dead in a Lauderhill field more than 50 years ago could lead to solving an old murder mystery, according to the Broward Sheriff’s Office. Now that they know the victim’s name, detectives are asking for help.

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In 1975, two people riding ATVs in an open field near Lauderhill found the a body, but with no evidence or identification investigators searched for some way to ID him. The case eventually grew cold and sat untouched for decades.

That was until BSO’s Cold Case Homicide Detective John Curcio recently identified the man as Robert Russell Freese.

“Somebody’s been looking for their loved one for 51 years,” Curcio said. “And every holiday, they’ve been looking for him, and we now know who he is.

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“His name is Robert Freese.”

A BSO spokesperson announced Curcio’s breakthrough Monday, stating he identified the long-lost man using modern fingerprint technology. That yielded results of Freese’s physical description, birthplace and where he last lived.

He was described as a blonde-haired, blue-eyed, 170-pound white male, born in Nassau County, New York. Before his death, he lived in Pompano Beach and was arrested once in the months leading up to his death. DO

Curcio urges anyone who may have known Freese or his family to call him at 954-321-4212 or submit a tip through the SaferWatch app.

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This story was originally published June 1, 2026 at 3:26 PM.