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Writer's pictureMary Murphy

The Two Women in the Suitcases: "Cherries" and Tanya Rush


Tattoo of 2 Cherries Above Right Breast of Mamaroneck ‘Jane Doe.’

Tattoo of 2 Cherries Above Right Breast of Mamaroneck ‘Jane Doe.’


Detective Lieutenant P.J. Trujillo has been trying since 2007 to identify a dismembered murder victim called "Cherries." Her torso was stuffed into a small, black suitcase that washed up on the shoreline of Mamaroneck in Westchester County, New York.


"Cherries" is often compared to "Peaches," the presumed victim of the Long Island Serial Killer. Her torso was discovered in 1998 inside a green, rubber container in Nassau County. There is also a Long Island connection in the "Cherries" case.


Black suitcase that contained torso of ‘Cherries’ in 2007.

Black suitcase that contained torso of ‘Cherries’ in 2007.


Cherries' torso, wearing a size 38B underwire bra, was found in the valise on March 3, 2007. The suitcase also contained more clothing: a velvety-red camisole, long-sleeved T-shirt, and Champion sweatpants. Police called the woman Cherries, because of a tattoo featuring two cherries on a stem above her right breast.


"We think she could be a light-skinned Black woman or a Hispanic woman," Lieutenant Trujillo told me this week. "She wasn't a thin girl. Anywhere from 160 to 200 pounds." It's estimated Cherries was at least 35 years old.


Red lingerie found inside suitcase containing the torso of ‘Cherries’.

Red lingerie found inside suitcase containing the torso of ‘Cherries’.


Two weeks after the suitcase was discovered, Cherries' right leg and foot washed up on the rocks of Cold Spring Harbor in Suffolk County, New York, across the Long Island Sound from Mamaroneck. The next day, a groundskeeper working at the waterfront estate of James Dolan, owner of Madison Square Garden, found Cherries' left leg on the shore in Cove Neck, which is located in Nassau County. It's believed the black suitcase may have been dumped on Long Island's north shore, before floating across the Sound to Mamaroneck during a storm.


"The DNA samples for the torso and legs were given to the FBI for genetic genealogy testing," Trujillo told me. But he's been waiting two years for answers, after turning over the samples to the FBI lab in 2022.


Trujillo also reached out to Gilgo Beach homicide investigators shortly after Rex Heuermann was accused of being the Long Island Serial Killer (LISK) in July 2023.


"I e-mailed some of the case files to the Suffolk task force," Trujillo said.


The "Cherries" case bears eerie similarities to the 2008 unsolved murder of Tanya Rush, a Brooklyn mom whose body parts were also found in a black suitcase, near the North Bellmore entrance to the Southern State Parkway in Nassau County.


Map shows Newbridge Road near Southern State Parkway, where some remains of Tanya Rush found.

Map shows Newbridge Road near Southern State Parkway, where some remains of Tanya Rush found.


A photo of the black, canvas bag was never released by New York State Police, but the description sounds very similar to the type of suitcase 'Cherries' was discovered in. Detectives from the Mamaroneck Police Department did release a picture of the 'Cherries' bag from 2007. The In Gear Protege-brand suitcase was only sold at Walmart.


Tanya Rush, the Brooklyn mom whose partial remains were found in black suitcase in 2008 by parkway.

Tanya Rush, the Brooklyn mom whose partial remains were found in black suitcase in 2008 by parkway.


Tanya Rush, 39, struggled with a crack cocaine addiction and tragically turned to sex work to pay for her habit. She was known as a loving mother who taught her three daughters to cook and to keep a clean home. She was last seen leaving the Van Dyck Houses in Brownsville, Brooklyn on June 23, 2008 and was known to 'street walk' near New Lots and Pennsylvania Avenues. This area is not far from access roads to the Belt Parkway eastbound, which leads to the Southern State Parkway in Nassau County.


Some of Rush's body parts were discovered in the black suitcase on the westbound entrance to the Southern State five days later--on June 28, 2008. She has not been officially connected to the accused LISK, but it's not lost on investigators or people following the case that, several exits away, Rex Heuermann could access the Wantagh Parkway to his home in Massapequa Park. State Police have long believed that Tanya Rush was killed outside Brooklyn. The Suffolk County District Attorney's office, which is prosecuting the Heuermann case, said he likely killed at least six victims inside the basement of his home.


Map shows Mamaroneck across Long Island Sound from LI’s north shore, where Cherries’ limbs were discovered..jpeg

Map shows Mamaroneck across Long Island Sound from LI’s north shore, where Cherries’ limbs were discovered.


The location of Cherries' limbs on Long Island's north shore is a departure from known dumping grounds connected to LISK in Manorville and Ocean Parkway on the south shore's barrier island. But Lt. Trujillo said that Heuermann should be looked at as a potential suspect. Trujillo noted that Heuermann was an avid duck hunter who would sometimes leave home at 5 a.m. to pursue this activity. There are areas on the north shore where he could hunt.


Raymond Tierney, the Suffolk County District Attorney, is eager to give names to the three, remaining unidentified victims found on Ocean Parkway in the spring of 2011. But he's also working with the Nassau County District Attorney's office on other, cold case murders that could be tied to the Long Island Serial Killer. The two women in the suitcases will not be forgotten by the 'true crime' community, which is tracking their cases.

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Guest
Nov 03

Mary, I have been following your articles on LISK. May I know why you do not seem to be interested in the Delphi and Richard Allen case? It is so riveting right now and seems to reflect Suffolk County situation at one time, with the FBI involved and then not involved.


Besides that, the John Kelly profile of the suspect was an almost perfect match for Allen. I hope you reply even if you are not interested in following Delphi.

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Mary Murphy
Mary Murphy
Nov 03
Replying to

I focus on stories that I’ve covered over the course of 40 years as a reporter. For example, Sean Combs was arrested in New York and his federal case will be tried here. I decided to do a Sean Combs story recently, because I did extensive reporting in 2023 on the animal tranquilizer Xylazine (tranq), which was reportedly found in drugs ingested by Combs’ alleged victims.

I have traveled to other states to do stories. I generally write about cases I can add insights to.

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Guest
Nov 03

Although using a suitcase as opposed to big plastic container, and the older victim age, are departures from the LISK MO, he could be one of those serial killers who purposely mix MO in order to confuse LE.

I hope Cherries gets her name back, and the same for the other unidentified LISK victims.

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Guest
Nov 03
Replying to

For some victims, in the case of Manorville/Gilgo, the same killer wanted the shock value of people finding the dismembered remains, yet kept the identifying parts (hands in case fingerprints could identify them before decomposition set in, and skull in case dental records can lead to quick identification) separate.

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dominick leogrande
dominick leogrande
Nov 01

Incredibly unconscionable situations. Very sad to decipher but the fact that these cases may be solvable may bring closure to all involved. Great matter of fact reporting Mary Murphy! And like always, the updates are appreciated for those following the stories.

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Mary Murphy
Mary Murphy
Nov 02
Replying to

Thank you for reading the article and for writing your insights. I am very appreciative.

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Guest
Nov 01

Love your work as always.

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Mary Murphy
Mary Murphy
Nov 01
Replying to

Thank you very much for reading the blog and your kind words about my work.

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Catch_LISK
Catch_LISK
Nov 01

Well done Mary, thank you...even though we know they are all working on these cases, we often feel a lack of urgency, when I know things sometimes just take time....

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Mary Murphy
Mary Murphy
Nov 01
Replying to

Yes, these are certainly cases being worked on. I just wanted to look at the two women in the black suitcases, because the types of bags used were so similar and they were found a year apart.

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