The cold case murder of Lynn Amos - Georgetown District, Washington DC - December 11, 1995
On December 11, 1995, the fire department responded to a report of a fire in a Georgetown row house in the 3400 block of N Street NW. Firefighters soon entered the residence, where they found an unconscious woman on her bed ablaze. It turned out to be 38-year-old Lynn Amos. The fire was quickly extinguished, and Lynn was hospitalized with third-degree burns over 80% of her body. She shook her head when asked if she knew what had happened. Despite the greatest care of the hospital staff, Lynn died there ten days after the fire.
A cigarette butt found in the bed led the police to initially suspect a tragic accident. Lynn's rather high blood alcohol level seemed to confirm that scenario. But the fact that the fire damage to the house was only around $15,000 was seen as a red flag. Her relatives also stated that Lynn was not a smoker and that there were no smoking utensils in the house.
Fire was set
Ten days after the fire, on the day of Lynn's death, the investigative report confirmed that samples of the bedroom floor, mattress, and pillow contained traces of flammable substances such as kerosene, gasoline, and turpentine. The fire was started by someone. The police were now officially in a homicide investigation.
Police Investigation
Police detectives spoke to Lynn's family and friends to find an explanation for the homicide. Did she have enemies? Was there an unrequited love? At first no one seemed to have a motive to harm her.
Lynn Amos was not dating but, according to her friends in New York, had an extensive social life despite her travels abroad. New York indeed, because that's where Lynn Amos lived when she worked at Bankers Trust and later as a consultant at Booz-Allen & Hamilton Inc. She moved to Georgetown in August 1995 when she joined Barents Group LLC based in Washington. Lynn regularly traveled to Mexico for her new job.
Colleagues and friends stated in conversations with police that Lynn had experienced a series of hang-up calls in the weeks before the fire. A friend named Emily Smith stated that Lynn told her over lunch that she was investigating the Mexican equivalent of the Federal Reserve. She said she led an investigation into credit issues and discovered some very bad credit practices. However, she did not reveal much about the matter. She did say her report would be "ugly."
A day before the fatal fire, she shared with friends over brunch that she had discovered some dangerous things in her research in Mexico. Again, she didn't go into much detail. Friends suspected it was about drug money and fraudulent loans.
Unsolved
The investigation into Lynn's murder eventually stalled because there was no physical evidence and witnesses. There were no signs of a break-in and the police suspected that the killer had a key, or that he could somehow get in unnoticed. No one in the area had seen or heard anything. Some think the perpetrator may have gotten her drunk, then effortlessly finished his terrible job.
Information and Tips
No matter how you look at it, the murder of this ambitious woman is still unsolved after all these years. Her friends and family still miss her incredibly. Hopefully someone out there knows more about the case. Is that you? For example, who did Lynn spend that evening with? Or do you have other information? Then let us know now. Don't hesitate and get in touch now (anonymously) using the form below.
This goes without the interference of the police, and entirely through our editors. If you would like to remain anonymous, do not enter your name and e-mail address. We ensure that your information ends up in the right place with the appropriate cold case team.