Suspect Charged In Brentwood Boy's Death 33 Years Later

BRENTWOOD, MD — In 1993, 10-year-old George Stanley Burdynski, Jr., known as Junior, disappeared from his Brentwood neighborhood. Now, 33 years later, a suspect has been charged in the little boy's death.

Burdynski was last seen riding his bicycle on May 24, 1993. He was never spotted again.

Local, state and federal law enforcement agents together investigated the little boy's disappearance. Police searched from air and water, put up missing person posters and sent out dogs to search for Burdynski.

"The Prince George’s County Police Department never closed the door on this case," Prince George's Police Chief George Nader said during a news conference.

During that investigation, Joseph Lynch, Stephen Bruce Leak and James Kowalski were arrested and charged with sexually assaulting multiple boys in Mount Rainier, Brentwood and Hyattsville in 1993 as part of what appeared to be a sex ring involving young boys, according to Prince George's Police.

Lynch, now 61, lived in Burdynski's neighborhood at the time. He was sentenced in the sexual assault cases in 1994, then released in 2006, police said.

But no clues led police any closer to solving Burdynski's disappearance.

Authorities never let the case grow cold, however. In the past 33 years, detectives continued to reexamine evidence and chase down possible leads based on any new information they uncovered. In 2026, Prince George's Police arrested Lynch and again charged him in connection to the sexual abuse of two teen boys that happened multiple times from 2007 to 2014 at a home in Mount Rainier. Lynch knew those victims, police said.

Lynch was sentenced to 20 years in prison in those cases, along with a 2012 arson case. The investigation into the recently discovered sexual abuse cases of the two teen boys prompted two cold case unit detectives to chat with a now 47-year-old man who was 13 years old when Burdynski disappeared in 1993. He also lived in the little boy's neighborhood at the time, according to law enforcement.

During the interview with detectives, the man told police he also had been sexually and physically abused by Lynch for four years, as well. In 1993, he was in a home with Burdynski and Lynch the day the little boy disappeared. The man told detectives Lynch demanded he sexually assault Burdynski while the three of them were in the same room. During that sexual assault, there was "physical abuse that led to critical injuries," Nader said during the press conference.

Burdynski was killed, the man told police, and his body was disposed of. His body has never been found and likely won't be, Nader said.

"While nothing can restore the years since Junior has been from the lives of family, friends and those who loved him, we hope and pray that the work of the Prince George's police detectives will finally bring some peace," said Aisha Braveboy, county state's attorney, during the Thursday news conference.

Burdynski’s sister, Virginia, was only five years old when she last saw her brother. During Thursday’s news conference, she spoke directly to him.

"Junior, I’m so sorry for what happened to you," she said. "I'm so sorry for what you had to go through. We’ve held on to hope for 33 years; this is not what we prayed for. This is incredibly devastating….our hearts are shattered…we love you, Junior."

Lynch has been charged with second-degree murder, second-degree rape, second-degree sex offense and third-degree sex offense involving Burdynski.

Currently, only Lynch has been charged in connection to the little boy's 1993 death, police said.

Detectives "strongly believe" Lunch sexually assaulted additional victims in the 1990s and possibly after he was released from jail in 2006. Any who believes they were a victim or have information relevant to the case is asked to contact detectives at 301-772-4930.