A man has been indicted on charges related to the 1993 killing of 10-year-old George “Junior” Burdynski in Prince George’s County, Maryland.
State’s Attorney Tara Jackson announced Wednesday that Joseph Lynch, 61, has been formally charged with murder, manslaughter, accessory after the fact, second-degree child abuse and two counts of second-degree sex offense.
The indictment comes weeks after law enforcement announced a breakthrough in the cold case, spurred by a recent interview with an alleged witness to the murder.
That witness was 13 years old at the time of Burdynksi’s disappearance on May 24, 1993. He told police that Lynch ordered him to sexually assault the younger boy that day. Burdynksi died during the assault, and Lynch allegedly helped dispose of his body.
Police said the witness, now 47 years old, was sexually abused by Lynch and won’t be charged in Burdynski’s death.
Through interviews with neighborhood kids after Burdynski’s disappearance, police learned of a pedophile ring targeting boys in Maryland in the Mount Rainier, Brentwood and Hyattsville areas. Lynch was part of that group of men convicted in 1993. At the time, police could not link the ring to the missing child case.
Lynch has been jailed since April on charges related to discoveries made during the investigation into Burdynski’s case.
His next court appearance is scheduled for Nov. 6.
WTOP’s Neal Augenstein contributed to this report.
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