UTICA, N.Y. (WKTV) - The place where this murder took place in downtown Utica is almost unrecognizable;  there used to be a bar and an alley here where Utica National Insurance now stands.
However, Oneida County prosecutors hope the witnesses recollections of what happened that night have remained constant.

Oneida County District Attorney Scott McNamara says prosecutors will not have to worry about diminished DNA or rusty recollections;  it's not physical events this case centers on, but rather,  the eyewitness account of a man allegedly involved in the shootout with Donovan Skelton which killed a 16 year-old bystander.  D. A. investigators have spoken to that eyewitness and prosecutors have faith in his 15 year old memories.

"You always have to be concerned about that because it's just human nature; we don't remember the small details but generally people do remember the big details of a shooting and somebody dying," McNamara said.

Surprisingly investigators say most of the witnesses in this case are still in the area. One notable one who is not is world-known forensic pathologist Barbara Wolf. She performed the autopsy on the victim.  The county might have to pay her to come back here, stay and testify at trial.