Five years ago, a report titled “The Devil You Know” exposed the wrongful convictions of two young men for the 1995 rape and murder of 12-year-old Josette Wright in Carmel, New York. The case, which saw Anthony DiPippo and Andy Krivak framed for a crime they did not commit, has now become the focal point of a new investigative podcast, Devil’s Quarry, the fifth season of the acclaimed series Bone Valley.
A Pattern of Systemic Failure
In the fall of 1995, Josette Wright’s remains were discovered in the woods near Carmel. The investigation that followed was marred by incompetence and intense pressure on local law enforcement. While DiPippo and Krivak—local teens with minor records—were targeted, a known predator named Howard Gombert was ignored despite his history of violence against young girls. Gombert, a drifter with a predatory MO, had been accused by multiple women of vicious rapes, yet he was never interviewed in connection with the Wright case.
The Fight for Justice
The path to exoneration for DiPippo and Krivak was long and arduous. DiPippo, who taught himself law while incarcerated, eventually secured a full acquittal in 2016 after his private investigators uncovered evidence pointing toward Gombert. Krivak was later acquitted in 2023. Both men eventually received significant settlements from the county, yet the true perpetrator remained free, and the murder of Josette Wright remained unsolved.
Uncovering the Truth
The new podcast, Devil’s Quarry, represents a 15-month investigation into the systemic failures of the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office and the district attorney’s office. The team behind the project, including partners from Rolling Stone Films and Lava for Good, has uncovered evidence that officials may have actively covered their tracks, including the destruction of crucial records and rape-kit results.
The results of those labors, Devil’s Quarry, debuts June 10 as Season Five of Bone Valley.
As Howard Gombert nears his scheduled release from prison, the investigation has taken on a renewed sense of urgency. The team has urged New York Attorney General Letitia James to intervene, seeking to detain Gombert and appoint a special prosecutor to finally resolve the cold cases of Josette Wright and Robin Murphy. For the survivors and the families involved, the search for truth continues, fueled by the hope that justice will finally be served.