PIX11’s Mary Murphy retires after 4 decades in local news
NEW YORK (PIX11) – It’s the end of an era at PIX11 News as New York’s Very Own Mary Murphy retires after four decades of bringing the best of the best in journalism to viewers across the tri-state area and beyond.
Mary epitomizes what it means to be a reporter in New York City. Her unwavering quest for answers – to see a story through to the end – has been a beacon of light for PIX11 viewers over the years.
Mary started her reporting career at PIX11 News in 1983, bringing viewers important and hard-hitting stories.
She was among the first on the scene when mobster Paul Castellano was killed outside Sparks Steak House in a hit orchestrated by mob boss John Gotti in 1985. She went on to cover countless stories related to organized crime in New York – sometimes putting herself at risk.
After a short time away with a competitor, Mary returned to PIX11 in 1993 and has continued to raise the bar on local news reporting. Mary received 30 of her 32 Emmy Awards for her journalism at PIX11 News while reporting on many significant events of our lifetime.
In 1994, she landed a compelling prison interview with Colin Ferguson, the gunman in the LIRR massacre. In ‘95, she covered the visit of Pope John Paul II – while six months pregnant. The following year, she covered the tragic crash of TWA Flight 800.
And of course, the terror attacks on the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001, and its aftermath.
In 2012, she traveled to the Vatican for the elevation of New York Archbishop Timothy Dolan to cardinal. She returned a year later for the selection of Pope Francis.
Mary has worked tirelessly for the people of New York to this day.
In recent years, she has highlighted the impact of opioids on the region. Just last year, she exposed the prevalence of xylazine, or tranq, in illicit drug supplies from Philadelphia to New York City and even as far as Puerto Rico.
She also championed The Missing, a PIX11 franchise dedicated to helping people in the tri-state area get answers about missing loved ones. In some cases, she even helped reunite families.
And just months before her retirement – tying all of her years of extensive reporting together – Mary was on the scene in Massapequa Park on July 14 after Rex Heuermann was arrested as the suspect in the decade-long Gilgo Beach murders investigation.
From all of us at PIX11 News, we wish Mary all the best in her retirement. Her long and storied career has left an indelible mark on all who have had the pleasure of working alongside her over the years.