State Police returned empty handed after returning from Virginia where they were conducting an extensive search for the remains of murder victim David Bacon, murdered in Waterford in 1969 by Nelson Costello and buried along the James River, according to Saratoga County District Attorney James Murphy’s office.
Costello was convicted this year of manslaughter and is serving a sentence of up to 15 years in a state correctional facility.
State Police searched the area in Virginia in cooperation with the Lynchburg Police Department, the Bedford County Sheriff’s Department and the CSX Railroad Police Department. The CSX RR police provided the backhoe equipment and the operator for as long as was necessary, along with other laborers.
The area unearthed encompassed roughly three quarters of an acre and was about 5 feet deep on CSX Railroad property, contiguous to the James River, according to information from Murphy’s office.
The digging went more quickly than originally anticipated as the work was able to begin at sunrise and continue until sundown. Also, the earth moved quite easily as the soil was sandy and easily excavated. They were ahead of schedule right from the beginning, said Murphy in a statement.
Investigators will return to Saratoga County, review aerial photographs to look at the layout of the river bed as it was in 1969, and compare it to today in order to determine what next steps may be taken, said Murphy in a statement.
Check back to spotlightnews.com for updates on this story.“
