TRUE CRIME FRIDAY: SARA ANNE WOOD

30 years after the tragic events unfolded, Ninetoes goes to upstate New York to look into the case of Sara Anne Wood.

(*EDITOR’S NOTE: In 1983 Blog Manager Tom was nearly abducted by a man he, to this day, swears was Lent. Tom was able to escape the abduction attempt. This has been dramatized in his book THE GOD PROVIDES. – TRC)

Hey there, true crime lovers! It is your favorite investigator, Ninetoes, coming to you from Ninetoes HQ, and I am on the beat with…I have my notebook in hand and coffee in my system, so let’s get to it!

Sara Anne Wood was twelve years old when she disappeared. She was riding her bike home from Norwich Corners Church (she was attending Vacation Bible School) in Sauquoit, NY. It is believed she was abducted less than a mile from her home. She was last seen at 2:30 p.m. riding her bike up a steep hill. She was carrying a display board, a church song book, and Vacation Bible School literature. At the time of her disappearance, she was wearing a pink T-shirt with the words “Guess Who” embroidered upon the front, turquoise blue shorts, and brown sandals. She also wore prescription glasses.

Sara’s parents became worried a few hours after her abduction when she failed to come home. The police were notified, and several hundred troopers and firefighters were soon searching dozens of square miles. Her family searched the neighborhood and printed and distributed flyers. Her bike was found leaning against a tree several yards from Hacadam Road. A coloring book and crayons were found in proximity to the bike.

Over the next five days, forest rangers and New York state police searched areas of interest, but Sara or clues to her whereabouts were not found. The news coverage of her disappearance was widespread, and the public joined in her search. More than 1,000 leads came in and a reward for her safe return reached $150,000.

Within a week of her disappearance, efforts to find her alive or dead had gone statewide, then nationwide. A headquarters was set up in New Hartford, NY, and it was called “Rescue Sara Center.” Thousands of missing persons posters about Sara soon went nationwide, and updates on the case were featured on “48 Hours” and “America’s Most Wanted”.

In 1996, Lewis Stephen Lent Jr, a man from North Adams, Massachusetts, attempted to abduct Rebecca Savarese, a twelve-year-old girl in Pittsfield, MA. She feigned a severe asthma attack and was able to get away. A witness saw this happen and was able to follow Lent’s pick-up truck from a distance, get his license plate, and notify the police. A search of Lent’s vehicle discovered duct tape, a knife, a gun, candy, and children’s sunglasses. A search of Lent’s van revealed Rebecca’s backpack and a revolver.

A search of Lent’s home uncovered an area in his basement that was under construction for the sole purpose of holding and abusing his future victims. This area was not completed, and his victims would be used for “quickies”.

Lent was interrogated shortly after his arrest and confessed to the rape and murder of Saran Anne Wood. He also confessed to the kidnapping and murder of a twelve-year-old boy from Pittsfield, MA named James Joseph Bernardo.

Lent was tried separately for both murders. On October 16, 1996, he pleaded guilty to Bernardo’s murder and received a life sentence. At his formal sentencing, he told his attorney he wanted to plead guilty to Sara Anne Wood’s murder, but when he saw her parents in the courtroom, he refused to give any details about where her body could be found.

On October 25, 1996, he pleaded guilty to Sara Anne Wood’s rape and murder, but refused to give any details about where her remains were, even though her parents were not in the courtroom. He later recanted his confession and went to trial and was convicted of second-degree murder in Sara’s case. He received a 25-year sentence to run concurrently with his life sentence in the Bernardo case.

As of 2025, Sara’s body has not been found. After her disappearance, her family established the Sara Anne Wood Rescue Center, which later became the Mohawk Valley branch of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) and is still in operation. In 2025, the NCMEC reported 32,167 missing children cases, and 29,013 were resolved, a 90% success rate.

Until the next time, I bid you successful investigations.

Darren “Ninetoes” Perdue is a book and media reviewer. When he is not reading, he is watching true crime shows, cooking for his family, or working on a plan for universal domination. If you see him on his porch, say hi. He does not bite…much.

PLEASE NOTE: The views and opinions of the staff of Memento Mori Ink do not necessarily represent those of Memento Mori Ink or Crystal Lake Publishing, nor do the views or opinions of Crystal Lake necessarily represent those of Memento Mori Ink or its staff. Thank you for understanding.