The 20 year-old unsolved murder case of Yolanda Bindics from Jamestown has been narrowed down to one person of interest.
Chautauqua County Sheriff James Quattrone says his team of investigators has ruled out former Jamestown Police officer Michael Watson after a thorough undertaking of interviews and evidence.
“Since June of 2022 a total of 176 interviews have been conducted by the investigators, including multiple interviews with Michael Watson who has cooperated fully with the Chautauqua County Sherriff’s Office investigation,” the sheriff said. “Also [we] reviewed and analyzed evidence from the victim’s vehicle, vehicles belonging to Watson, a vehicle belonging to Carl Carte’s girlfriend that he was in possession of the night of August 10, 2004.”
Clarence “Carl” Carte now remains the sheriff’s office’s sole remaining person of interest. Carte is the father of Bindics’ youngest child, and was seen on video surveillance at a gas station across the street from Bindics’ work shortly before she disappeared after her shift ended.
Police, Bindics’ family, and volunteers conducted many searches in the days and weeks after her disappearance. Jamestown Police also arrested Carte around that time, not for her murder, but for an unrelated warrant out of Florida. He was identified as a person of interest then, and had a truck examined for evidence. Carte was extradited to Florida by Jamestown authorities sometime in 2004.
It wasn’t until 2006 that Bindics skeletal remains were found by hunters in Boutwell Hill State Forest in the Town of Charlotte. Since then, the number of persons of interest has been narrowed down from three, to just one.
Still, other than that latest release of photos from gas station surveillance footage – the Chautauqua County Sherriff’s Office is shy about releasing much about what they have on Carte, and what more they need. In a press conference, Sheriff Quattrone seemed to not be concerned with information about his whereabouts, or other run-ins with the law Carte may have had.
What was clear, is authorities would like anyone who may have seen Carte and Bindics interact the night of August 10th – to call the special tip line at 716 – 703 – 5955.
Bindics’ sister, Anne Chmielewski, also spoke at the latest press conference and had a plea to those out there who know something about the murder of her beloved sister.
“We’re constantly fighting for justice for Yolanda and with the new investigators on this team, we are confident that we are so close to having this solved,” Chmielewski said. “We just still ask that anybody with information [comes forward] -- because people are talking. There are people out there who have claimed that so and so brags about it, and we need those people to come forward, even if it's anonymously.”
Chmielewski said about $16,000 in reward money still remains from the FBI for anyone who brings forward evidence that leads to an arrest.
