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Unsolved Greenwich Murder Featured On New Cold Case Playing Cards

FAIRFIELD COUNTY, Conn. -- The unsolved 1984 murder of a 13-year-old Greenwich boy is included in a new edition of "cold case" playing cards that are available to inmates throughout the Connecticut correctional system.

The unsolved murder of 13-year-old Matthew Margolies of Greenwich is one of several included in a new deck of cold case cards distributed to Connecticut inmates.

The unsolved murder of 13-year-old Matthew Margolies of Greenwich is one of several included in a new deck of cold case cards distributed to Connecticut inmates.

Photo Credit: Contributed

Matthew Margolies is included as the "Ten of Spades" in the fourth edition of the playing cards, which are produced by the Cold Case Unit in the Office of the Chief State's Attorney in conjunction with the Department of Correction. Margolies was found murdered at the age of 13 in 1984 in a wooded area on Pemberwick Road in Greenwich. A $50,000 reward is offered in this case.

According to Greenwich Time, Margolies was last seen on Aug. 31 of that year when he left his home to go fishing. His body was located five days later near his home, having been stabbed, strangled and suffocated. Police developed some suspects, but no arrests were ever made, though police still continued to receive information for years, according to Greenwich Time.

Officials say that since the first deck of cold case cards was introduced six years ago, cold case investigators have received more than 675 tips, and that arrests or convictions have occurred in 20 of the cases featured on the previous three decks of cards, including several where tips came from inmates who saw the cards.

Each card in the deck of 52 features a photograph and brief details about an unsolved murder or missing persons case, as well as telephone, mail and email contacts that inmates can use to provide information. The cases featured on the cards are generally changed in subsequent decks to allow for the maximum umber of cards to be circulated through the correctional system.

The deck includes several other unsolved murders from the Fairfield County towns of Bridgeport, New Canaan and Norwalk:

  • Four of Spades: Hakeem "Sonny" Joseph, a 32-year-old male. On March 25, 2015, Joseph was shot while working at the T-Market, 1482 Reservoir Ave. in Bridgeport.
  • Queen of Hearts: Mary Aaron aka Mary Frattallone, a 19-year-old female. Aaron was last seen on July 2, 1981. Her skeletal remains were found on the Norwalk/New Canaan town line on Aug. 1, 1981.
  • Jack of Clubs: Karl "K-Dot" Savage, a 30-year-old male. On Feb. 3, 2010, Savage was found shot multiple times on the grounds of Nathaniel Ely School, near the rear of Roodner Court in Norwalk.
  • King of Clubs: Michael "Mizzy" Robinson, a 21-year-old male. On Oct. 29, 2010, Robinson was shot on South Main Street and Grove Street in Norwalk.
  • Two of Diamonds: Thounsa "Little T" Addison, a 17-year-old male. On Jan. 24, 2005, Addison was shot in a vehicle on Cross Street in Norwalk.
  • Three of Diamonds: Iroquois "Iraq" Alston, a 27-year-old male, and Rackita Smalls, a 22-year-old female. On Aug. 6, 2011, Alston and Smalls were shot in a vehicle at 4 Avenue B in Norwalk. A $50,000 reward is offered in this case.
  • Nine of Diamonds: Joseph "Jabs" Bateman, a 30-year-old male. On Feb. 3, 2012, Bateman was shot behind the Avalon Gates Apartments at 26 Belden Ave. in Norwalk.

"The families of victims continue to suffer emotional stress when the homicide of a loved one remains unsolved. These cold case playing cards have proved to be an extremely successful strategy in helping to bring justice to the victims of crime," said Department of Correction Commissioner Scott Semple. 

"The cold case playing cards have proven to be a valuable tool assisting our investigators with what are among the most challenging cases. Every tip that we get from someone who sees a card and remembers something is another step toward achieving justice to the victims of these crimes and their loved ones," said Chief State’s Attorney Kevin Kane.

The playing cards are the only ones sold to inmates in all facilities operated by the Department of Corrections. There is no cost to taxpayers, as their production is paid for with proceeds from the sale of the cards. Although they are not sold to the public, the new edition of cards can be seen here, and all four editions can be seen on the websites of the Department of Corrections and the Division of Criminal Justice.

The public is encouraged to view the cards and share any information they might have about any of the cases. Information may be submitted by phone at 1-866-623-8058, by email at cold.case@ct.gov or by regular mail at P.O. Box 962, Rocky Hill, CT 06067.

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