The Missing Persons Case of Jose "Che" Dominguez in Stockton, CA

by Jessica

On Sunday, August 2, 1981, 16 year old Jose Dominguez left his home in Stockton to meet up with friends to play ball at Stribley Park. He never returned home.  

Jose "Che" Dominguez via the Record

Stribley Park is a large park in south east Stockton between State Hwy 4 (Cross Town Fwy) and East Charter Way. The park has a lot of open space, a community center and several baseball fields. It's also just a short distance from the BNSF railroad tracks and an industrial area with several large businesses. 

Location of Stribley Park via Google Maps

Stribley Park as seen from above via Google Maps

At the time of his disappearance Dominguez, who went by Che to those who knew him, was a student at Franklin High School where he played trumpet in the school band and he was also on the wrestling team. Initially, it was believed that Dominguez was a run away and San Joaquin County Sheriffs received possible tips from both family and the public who reported seeing him. Unfortunately, none of the tips panned out and his family never heard from him again, even during times of the year like holidays. Investigators and his family believed this was unusual and led to the conclusion that he may have met with foul play.

Though police believed it was possible he was run away a search was done at the time of the area around Dominguez' home and the area of Stribley Park. Nothing was found. Over the years this case received little public attention, and any specific information that police have has not been made public. However investigators did continue to work this case.

When he went missing Dominguez was wearing gray corduroy pants, a black t-shirt with a cancer symbol from the zodiac and the name "Che," and gray tennis shoes. At the time of his disappearance he was described by the FBI as a white or hispanic male, with black hair and brown eyes. He was approximately 5 feet 4 inches tall and 116 pounds. 

Dominguez via the FBI

In 1989, an arrest in this case was made but charges were dropped when a witness recanted their statement. Since that time Dominguez's disappearance has remained unsolved.

While this case is associated with Stockton it is the San Joaquin County Sheriffs who are responsible for carrying out the investigation. In 2018, San Joaquin County Sheriff Patrick Withrow ran for office and one of the things he talked about was the creation of a dedicated cold case unit. In 2020, that wish became a reality and two "...seasoned detectives" were tasked with heading up the unit. According to KCRA 3, Detective Sgt. Linda Jiminez and Detective Irene Shelvey were chosen and they were working on approximately 200 unsolved homicides and 150 missing persons cases. One of those cases was that of Jose Dominguez. 

In 2021, during a press conference held by the San Joaquin County Sheriff Patrick Withrow, it was stated that new information led the cold case unit to search "areas of interest" in eastern parts of San Joaquin County in regards to this case. At that time police found partial skeletal remains. San Joaquin County Sheriffs are reportedly testing for DNA. While it was stated that DNA tests would take a few weeks no other information is publicly available in regards to the remains that were collected. 

It has been over 40 years since Jose "Che" Dominguez went missing from Stockton. His loved ones have never stopped hoping answers would finally come in this terrible case. In a 2020 interview with Fox 40 his sister Corina Garcia told reporters that what she wanted for her brother was: "To put him to rest, you know. To let him have peace." 

If you have any information in the disappearance of Jose "Che" Dominguez it's imperative that you contact the San Joaquin Sheriffs Cold Case Unit at 209-468-5087 or you can send a tip by email at coldcase@sjgov.org. You can also contact the FBI with a tip using the information in the flyer below. If you would like to remain anonymous please send a tip through Crime Stoppers at 209-946-0600.

Stockton Crime Stoppers is offering $10,000 for information in this missing persons case and the FBI is also offering $5,000 for the same. 

For more information in this case:

Rocha, Angelydet. "Partial human remains recovered in connection with Jose "Che" Dominguez's 1981 disappearance." The Record, 23 Dec 2021, https://tinyurl.com/bdhb2tae.

Macht, Daniel. "Stockton teen Jose "Che" Dominguez vanished 40 years ago. DNA testing on newly found remains is underway." KCRA3, 23 Dec 2021, https://www.kcra.com/article/stockton-teen-jose-che-dominguez-vanished-40-years-ago-cold-case-investigators-have-an-update/38603360.

Miller, Hope. "New Cold Case Unit Created in San Joaquin County." KCRA3, 24 Feb 2020, https://www.kcra.com/article/new-cold-case-unit-san-joaquin-county/31084169.

Recede, Kay. "San Joaquin County family still holding out hope for missing brother nearly forty years later." Fox 40, 10 Jan 2020, https://fox40.com/news/local-news/san-joaquin-county-family-still-holding-out-hope-for-missing-brother-nearly-40-years-later/.

The San Joaquin County Sheriff Office. San Joaquin County Sheriff gives update on Jose "Che" Dominguez disappearance. 23 Dec 2021, found on KCRA3 channel on Facebook.

FBI Kidnapping/Missing Persons Cases: https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/kidnap/jose-esuaro-che-dominguez.

Murders of Patrick Garza and April Weber in Stockton, CA

 By Jessica

Patrick Joseph Garza and his girlfriend, April Leann Weber were barely into adulthood when the two of them were murdered in Stockton, CA. Investigators believe the couple were simply at the wrong place at the wrong time when gang violence spilled over and changed the lives for them and their loves ones.

Map or Area near Quik Stop on Fremont Street in Stockton, via Google Maps

 On the night of September 3, 2002, Garza and Weber were in the parking lot of the Quik Stop at 2285 E. Fremont Street using the pay phone when a witness reported hearing gunshots and seeing two men running towards a vehicle. The car they ran towards and left the scene in was described as dark and parked near a closed veterinary clinic. Surveillance footage from the night also showed two men but unfortunately, their faces were not clear. The Stockton Record reported that there were half a dozen shots fired.

Pic of Quik Stop in 2002 via ABC10 from Stockton Police

It was also reported that the Quik Stop parking lot was known as a dangerous place and for its connection to the drug trade. While another crime in the area would be believed to be connected due to ballistic evidence this crime would grow cold over the years. Investigators however, would not give up trying to solve the murder of Patrick Garza and April Weber believing that someone who holds important information would hopefully come forward. And in recent years another piece of crucial evidence is being looked at.

In the parking lot after the murders a cold beer bottle was found in a parking spot. Believing this bottle could be the key to finding whoever was in the parking lot with the victims, DNA was run and a match was found. While this evidence is still in the preliminary stages and hasn't provided enough for an arrest warrant it is still a key piece to the puzzle of this case. Investigators have not released the name of the DNA match to the public but continue to follow the evidence. 

Pic of beer bottle found at scene in 2002 via ABC10 from Stockton Police

Patrick Garza was 21 years old and described by his family as an artist who loved to draw, listen to music and camping trips at Woodward Reservoir in Oakdale, CA. 

April Weber was 20 years old and left behind her mother and a child from a previous relationship.

Both Garza and Weber left behind loved ones and everyone involved deserve closure in this terrible crime.

If you have any information about this crime please contact Stockton Crime Stoppers at 209-946-0600 or online at stocktoncrimestoppers.com.

For more information about this crime: 

Firpo, Eric. "Police Turn to Public for Help in Solving Double Slaying." The Record, Sept 6, 2002. 

Wade, Madison. "Stockon police say they are close to finding out who killed April Weber and Patrick Garza/Unsolved California." ABC 10, March 19, 2021.

Needles Jane Doe

  by Jessica

Researching murder cases means reading stacks of newspapers throughout California. One of the things that far too many cases we've covered, read about or heard about, have in common are victims left on the sides of roads. In article after article the term "dumped" is often used to describe the state of the victim and the place where they were found. It's a term I hate.

Using the word "dumped" feels dehumanizing and I've tried many times to find an alternative way of discussing these cases. The problem: the term is accurate and this is why it's gross. Whoever made the decision to take a life, whether it be stranger or loved one, chose to leave that human being on the side of the road, like trash. 

It's a term that should bother me because it sums up the crime in question perfectly. The humanity of these victims was never a first priority to their murderers. That's the case whether we're talking victims like Idema Cerney, Marcy Conrad, Gwen Araujo or in our recently covered cold case: The Needles Jane Doe. 

Sketch of Needles Jane Doe via The Doe Network

On May 14, 1991, an unidentified person was found deceased in the Mojave Desert alongside Interstate 40 about 30 miles west of Needles, CA.

Location of Needles, CA via Google Maps

Needles, CA is a small city in San Bernardino County in the southern part of California. According to the United States Census Bureau it had approximately 4,959 people living there in 2020. This small town also sits very close to the Arizona border and on both Route 66 and Interstate 40.

Interstate 40 where the victim was found is a major interstate highway that runs through the southern portion of the United States connecting the states of Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee and North Carolina. Interstate-40 is a very busy road and according to the Truck Driver Academy it's one of the busiest interstates in the US for commercial truck traffic. 

All of this means that the Needles Jane Doe could be from anywhere in the United States. 

Map of Interstate-40 via Google Maps

In 1991, when the victim was found it was determined that she had been deceased for several days and her body was described as "decomposed" by the Doe Network. According to the Weather Underground, the average temperature in May of 1991 was 87 degrees Fahrenheit/30 degrees Celsius. This would've contributed to decomposition making narrowing down her exact date of murder difficult. While there isn't an official cause of death investigators believe she died from a homicide. 

The victim's identity is still unknown but according to the Doe Network they were biologically female, between the ages of 24-45 years old, white, five feet four inches tall, approximately 148 pounds with brown hair. Their eye color was unknown.  

There wasn't any identification found with the victim but they were wearing a pink tank top with a picture of a cactus and sunflower on the front, pink knee length leggings with lace fringe and white socks. She was also wearing a yellow metal gold chain. 

Clothes found with Needles Jane Doe via The Doe Network

While there is little known about this victim including who murdered them and callously "dumped" their body on the side of the road, I'm hopeful the details shared by the San Bernardino Sheriff's Office and the Doe Network can finally give this victim back their name. Adding to that hope is that there are DNA, fingerprints and dental records available in this case. 

If you have any information about the Needles Jane Doe please contact the San Bernardino Sheriffs at 909-387-3589. You can also make an anonymous tip at 1-800-78-CRIME.

For more information: 

San Bernardino Sheriff's County: https://wp.sbcounty.gov/sheriff/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2017/07/Doe-Jane.pdf

The Doe Network: https://www.doenetwork.org/cases/101ufca.html

NamUS: https://namus.nij.ojp.gov/case/UP2554

Truck Driving Academy: https://www.truckdriveracademy.com/busiest-interstates-for-trucks/

Weather Underground: https://namus.nij.ojp.gov/case/UP2554

Unsolved: The Murder of Francis De Alvis

 by Jessica

Investigators believe that time is running out on finding out who murdered Francis De Alvis in Monterey, CA in 1984. Similar to many cold cases, every day that passes, the ability to hold someone responsible becomes more difficult. Depending on the age of the unknown perpetrator(s), it may already be impossible to make an arrest and proceed to trial. 

In spite of this obstacle, De Alvis and all of the other victims in cold cases, matter. If nothing else can be done in these cases, then the truth will have to suffice. Finding the truth means evidence will need to be tested and most importantly, people need to come forward and talk to investigators. Someone out there knows what happened to De Alvis, or has a piece of a puzzle they didn't even know they had. But if they aren't reminded of the man, who lost his life in a possible robbery, then that piece will slip away.

Francis De Alvis, via City of Monterey

On August 18 1984, Francis De Alvis was murdered in his apartment at 843 Hawthorne Street in Monterey, CA. De Alvis was 58 years old at the time and living alone. His family contacted police when they couldn't get in contact with him. He was stabbed multiple times and his apartment was ransacked. 

Apartments at 843 Hawthorne Street, via google maps

Investigators believe that De Alvis knew his murderer and that at least one thing was taken from the apartment. 

De Alvis was born in Rangoon, Burma and was a respected teacher who earned his bachelor's and masters degree from the Monterey Institute of International Studies. He taught at Echo Valley Elementary school in Prunedale, CA just 22 miles north of Monterey for 16 years. He also taught in the Burmese Department at the Defense Language Institute. 

While this crime occurred 37 years ago, investigators and De Alvis' family are still looking for answers. If you have any information about Francis De Alvis' murder please call the Monterey County Investigations Division at 831-646-3814.

For More Information: 

https://www.montereyherald.com/2010/10/27/the-need-for-closure-woman-seeks-answers-in-brothers-84-slaying/

https://www.monterey.org/city_hall/police/unsolved_homicides.php

The Unsolved Murder of Diana Moffitt in El Cajon, CA

by Jessica

In the 1980's a series of murders occurred in the area of San Diego along Interstate-8 that, at the time, police believed could be committed by one or more serial killers. The victims were mainly sex workers who worked along El Cajon Blvd, in San Diego. Their bodies were found in rural areas and culverts on the side of the roads in the area. 

The Sacramento Bee, 8/15/1988 via newspapers.com

According to a 1988 article, titled "Green River Killer in San Diego?" in the Sacramento Bee, the police were looking at 25 unsolved murders of women in the area and even considered the possibility that the Green River Killer, a serial killer named Gary Ridgway, may have been responsible. The murders took place between 1985-1988 and many of those murders remain unsolved today. To add to their suspicion was the fact that the victims were all women who police believe were sex workers or transients. 

A task force was created to aid in solving the cases in San Diego and 8 cases in particular were put together as victims possibly murdered by the same person. The victims in these cases were all women found murdered very near Interstate 8 in East San Diego County and all on the side of the road. There doesn't seem to be hard evidence connecting all of the murders to a single perpetrator but they remain unsolved. It's important to note that several of the victims were found some time after they went missing so finding physical evidence may have been more difficult. One of those victims was a 20 year old named Diana Gail Moffitt. 

Diana Moffitt

Unfortunately, there is very little information on Diana Moffitt. She lived in Oregon and had only been in California a short time. During that time she was working as a sex worker and may have had connections with a man who was arrested in Oregon a few years after her murder. This man was convicted of "running a prostitution ring" that may have stretched from California to New Jersey. According to the Albany Democrat-Herald, a newspaper in Oregon, this man plead no contest in 1988 to "compelling prostitution" in a case involving Diana Moffitt in California, a year after her body was found.

The details of Diana Moffitt's murder come from the San Diego County Sheriff's Department website as there isn't a newspaper article covering the crime. In 1987, Diana Moffitt went missing in San Diego. The dates are unclear, but according to an article in the Sacramento Bee, a "male companion" had reported her missing. Then on October 9, 1987, her body was found near 9688 Blossom Valley Road, about 8 miles north-west of El Cajon, CA and only 2.8 miles from Interstate 8. 

Map of area where Diana Moffitt was found via Google Maps

This area of Southern California is only about 40 miles from the California-Mexico border and only 20 miles from a road in the North Park area of San Diego known as El Cajon Boulevard; and nicknamed the "Boulevard of Bad Dreams." This area in the 1980's was considered dangerous and crime-ridden. Among it's more common crimes is sex work and it's where the majority of arrests for prostitution in San Diego have taken place. Interestingly, anyone in this area would be close to both Interstate 15 and Interstate 8, where Diana's body was found, and where the other victims were found. 

Map from North Park to Blossom Valley Rd via Google Maps

The day Diana was found a road crew had been using a back hoe to clear a ditch of weeds when the men found her body covered by underbrush. She was decomposed and only partially clothed. Other details of her death are unknown. San Diego County Sheriff's need people to come forward and hope that with the passage of time anyone who has any information will be compelled to come forward. We've talked at length about how fear can keep witnesses from coming forward and time can prove to be the one thing someone needs to feel safe enough to speak out. Victims like Diana Moffitt, and all of those who loved her, deserve answers and those who carry that information with them have the ability to help answer questions, bring justice and lift the burdens of grief and confusion for those still waiting. 

In 1988, Diana's mother, Gayle Moffitt, became vice-president of a group in Portland called, Parents of Murdered Children. This group's goal was to provide support to those who had lost children and to help "...police, courts, and mental health professionals better understand the frustrations and struggles suffered by murdered victim's families." When Gayle first considered joining the organization she was concerned that they wouldn't understand or judge her because her daughter was a sex worker, a stigma long attached to ideas about pure victims. The organization not only embraced her but she would go on to become one of it's leaders.

According to her, "I felt there was a stigma attached to the prostitution. I kept thinking 'How would they understand?' Penny reassured me that it didn't matter. The thing that mattered was that I loved her."

It does not appear that there is a task force that has continued to look into the cases of murder along Interstate 8 or that anyone has been arrested for those crimes. Without more evidence it is difficult to narrow down who and how these women were murdered. It's entirely possible that each of the victims was murdered by a different person, a possible serial killer, or were even victims of a trafficking ring.

In 1988, Diana's mother told the newspaper she believed she knew who had hurt her child but did not use his name. What is known is that police need people to come forward with any information they have so they can finally find answers in Moffitt's case. If you have any information on this case please call the San Diego Sheriff's Department during business hours at 858-285-6330 or  it's Communication Center at 858-565-5200. You can also contact crime stoppers at 888-580-8477 or fill out their online tip form here: https://www.sdsheriff.net/coldcase/8768903/index.html

For anyone interested there is also a TV movie from 1993 called Moment of Truth: Why My Daughter? starring Linda Gray and Antonio Sabato Jr. that is about the murder of Diana Gail Moffitt. 

More Information:

Diana Gail Moffitt Cold Case, San Diego County Sheriff's Department Website: https://www.sdsheriff.net/coldcase/8768903/index.html

Cavanaugh, Maureen and Pat Finn. (Host). (2009, Oct 12) "El Cajon Boulevard: Boulevard of Bad Dreams."  KPBS News [Radio Report]. https://www.kpbs.org/news/2009/oct/12/el-cajon-boulevard-boulevard-bad-dreams/

"Parents of Murdered Children Gather." Albany Democrat Herald, 10 Aug 1992, via newspapers.com.

"Prison Inmate Linked to Prostitution Ring." Albany Democrat Herald, 08 Jan 1992, via newspapers.com.

Hecht, Peter. "Green River Killer in San Diego?" The Sacramento Bee, 15 Aug 1988, via newspapers.com.

"Prisoner Goes On Trial for Part in Prostitution." Albany Democrat Herald, 13 Feb 1992, via newspapers.com.

"Portland Man Convicted in N.J. Prostitution Case." Albany Democrat Herald, 27 Mar 1992, via newspapers.com.

The Murder of Cara Knott

by Sean

This case was very interesting to research from start to finish.  Out of the cases I have researched, it is interesting how much I learned from it.  Whenever we do the research for these cases, I always find out something new.  It could be related to the case, related to the area, or just something random that I am glad I found.  This case, I feel, was a treasure trove of new knowledge. 

Another thing about this case was how shocking everything was each day almost.  There was so many things to make you question if this case was actually in the 1980's and not the 1880's.  I think I had so many wow moments throughout the research just being baffled that this was how it was.  Then Jessica found even more stuff that shocked me even more.  So many things were changed as we know it now in California because of this case and because of Cara's father, Sam Knott.  

It is hard to say that I am glad that I researched this case, because I wish this case did not exist in the first place.  I wish none of these cases we have covered ever happened in the first place.  But when I do look over these terrible events in our past, I learn so much from the people that share this land with me.  I learn about people like Joyce and San Knott who fought for justice for their daughter, but also future daughters for everyone.  These are the people that get overlooked a lot of the times, but their actions made the importances of these cases still be heard. 

More on the murder of Cara Knott: https://www.spreaker.com/user/11851014/the-murder-of-cara-knott

Cold Case: The Disappearance of Pamela Pedro in Atwater, CA

by Jessica

There are many cases of missing people throughout the United States, the majority of which don't garner headlines or feature on the evening news. Worse, many of these cases don't have a wealth of information to aid law enforcement. In these cases, the smallest morsel of information could make a huge difference to loved ones and investigators. 

Pamela Pedro 

One of these cases happened in Atwater, CA when 17 year old Pamela Pedro went missing the morning of September 13, 1982. That Monday, Pamela, or Pam as her friends called her, was last seen before school outside of Atwater High School on the pay phone near the front office. It is unknown who she was speaking with and unclear what happened to Pamela afterwards. 

In 1982, Atwater High School was the only High School in the Central Valley town and Pamela was a senior and an advanced student who had plans to graduate early. Not only was she a good student but that dedication carried over to other talents. She had a black belt in karate and was a classical pianist.  

Atwater was a town of just over 17,000 people in the 1980's but was bordered by many smaller towns and rural areas. At the time it only had a single High School, Atwater High School, and it was about 3 miles from where Pamela lived with her family on Rainbow Lane. 

Map of Pedro home to Atwater High School via google maps

According to the Charley Project, on that Monday, her mother went to the school to pick her up at 1:30pm. When she arrived, Pamela was not waiting for her. She waited and then contacted the office asking them to make announcement looking for Pamela. She did not respond. At 4:30pm on this Monday, her family attempted to report their daughter missing to police. They were told that they needed to wait 24 hours before they could make a report. During that time Pamela was not found and evidence about what happened to her has not surfaced. 

Due to a lack of evidence, it's unclear how to classify Pamela Pedro's case. It's unknown if she decided to run away or if she met with foul play. What is known is that her family and loved ones miss her terribly and want to either find Pamela or information in her case. 

When Pamela went missing she was described as an Asian female of Filipino descent. She was 5 feet 1 inches in height and about 110 pounds. She was wearing blue corduroy pants, a pair of blue Nike sneakers and a blue and pink checkered shirt. Pamela wore glasses and at the time had braces. Some of her defining features included her black hair, dark brown eyes, a dimple on her left cheek and a small mole under her right eye. 

Pamela Pedro w/glasses via Charley Project

Since 1982, Pamela has not applied for a driver's license or used her social security card. 

Pamela Pedro Age Progression to Age 48

In 2012, a candlelight vigil was held at Atwater High School by students and family for Pamela Pedro. 

In September it will have been 38 years since Pamela Pedro was last seen in Atwater. Without evidence police have no way to continue searching for answers in her disappearance. In the ensuing years her father passed away never having answers. Her family and police continue to search for her. If you have any information about this case please call the Merced County Sheriff's Major Crime Unit at 209-385-7472. 

More Information:

Pamela Ann Pedro, The Charley Project: http://charleyproject.org/case/pamela-ann-pedro

"Candlelight Vigil for Missing Atwater High Teen Scheduled for Saturday." (2012 Sept 12). Merced Sun-Star: https://www.mercedsunstar.com/news/local/article3270430.html.

Carol Panzica

by Jessica

On Sunday, August 12, 1984, Carol Panzica checked into the Dream Inn Hotel in Santa Cruz, California. Panzica had come from San Jose and brought her two sons, aged 11 and 13, with her.

Map of area around Dream Inn in Santa Cruz, via google maps

The Dream Inn Hotel was built in 1963 in Santa Cruz and billed as the only "beachfront motel" in the area. With it's beautiful structure, beach access out the back door of rooms, and beautiful pool, this is a place that continues to lure travelers. Changing ownership through the years brought different name changes, but locals always referred to the hotel as the Dream Inn.

Back Side of Dream Inn in Santa Cruz

After checking in at 3:00 pm, Carol and her two sons went to the room. Once there the two boys went outside to play and use the hotel swimming pool. Carol stayed behind to take either a shower or a bath. At 6:00 pm, the boys went back to the room and found the tub filled with water and their mother unresponsive and face down inside.

The two boys screamed for help and hearing their pleas another hotel guest responded. This person pulled Carol out of the tub. A beach patrol officer also responded to the scene and began CPR until the fire department and ambulance arrived. Sadly, Carol was pronounced deceased on arrival at the hospital.

Initially, wounds on the body led investigators to believe that Carol had slipped while in the shower and fallen, causing her body to block the drain of the tub. The tub then filled with water and Carol, unconscious, drowned. But when a pathologist looked at the body, they saw other wounds that were inconsistent with an accidental drowning. These wounds included bruises on the body that were unexplained. As a result, Carol's death was ruled a homicide.

Looking through newspapers, both in Santa Cruz and San Jose, only led to a single article on the case. Not even a picture of the victim could be found despite this terrible unsolved crime and the toll it must have taken on her children. The police are still looking for whoever committed this crime and need anyone with information to come forward and tell them what they know.

Article about Carol Panzica, Santa Cruz Sentinel, Aug 15, 1984
via newspapers.com

If you have any information about the murder of Carol Panzica please call the Santa Cruz Police Department at 831-420-5820 or their tip line at 831-420-5995.

More Information:

City of Santa Cruz Cold Cases: https://www.cityofsantacruz.com/government/city-departments/police/cold-cases

"Questions Remain in Death of Hotel Guest." (1984 Aug 15). Santa Cruz Sentinel, A2, via newspapers.com.

Chandler, Jenna. "California's Best Midcentury Motels, Mapped." (2020 Feb 4). Curbed LA, https://la.curbed.com/maps/midcentury-retro-hotels-motels-madonna-inn-california

Oscar Garcia

by Sean

On April 23rd, 2017, 18 year old Oscar Andrew Garcia, was killed in the 100 block of Cypress Avenue in Monrovia, CA. At about 11:36 pm on this date, Oscar was at a female friend's house with one other male friend, and were hanging out in the garage. At this time, a Latino man in his early 20's walked in through a door of the garage. The man was light skinned, about 6 feet tall with black short hair, brown eyes, a goatee and a black baseball hat. After a brief verbal exchange, the suspect began to shoot. Both Oscar and his friend were hit and while they survived, Oscar was pronounced dead in the garage at 12:07am.

Oscar Garcia via LA Times

Detectives are seeking any information that you might have since they are not sure what the possible motive was in the shooting. They do not believe the three friends were actually targeted.

Oscar was a Senior in High School at Canyon Oaks High School, and was striving to be a photographer. He also played soccer for the school, loved skateboarding, and after high school planned on going to Pasadena City College to study photography.

If you have any information about the murder of Oscar Garcia, please call the Sheriff's Homicide Bureau and ask for Sgt. Ken Perry or Detective Scott Matlock at 323-890-5500. If you wish to remain anonymous you can call crime stoppers at 800-222-8477.

The Puente Hills Mall Murders, Part 1

by Sean

So, while I was looking for a case to cover for the new season, I went through a giant list that I found a "most famous" cases out there. I don't really know how this list was made because there were some odd ones at the top when notorious cases were down on the list. Being the podcast that we were, I just had to scroll until I found something that said California. Once I finally found this case, the name alone of "The Puente Hills Mall Murders" intrigued with my infatuation with malls and mall culture. I had to look further into this one. Also being the year of 1991 in Southern California is always interesting to me. This is the buildup time to the time of unrest of '92, As I have researched through the years about the unrest, I know that it wasn't just because of Rodney King and the build of years between the Los Angeles Police Department and the communities that have been targeted.

Once I started digging deeper into this case, it floored me that I had not one scrap of memory of it. Five murders in a short amount of time and two of them so brazen with kidnappings, in broad daylight, in the middle of a bustling mall parking lot. It is very interesting how sometimes, by whatever reason, cases become so popular with the media, people watching, even internationally. This case might have been very intense and well known in the area, or maybe even out of the area during the time, but it seems to slip through the cracks with future coverage. As we go through this episode, we learn about the victims that are different in age, race and gender. The people the suspects picked didn't care seem to have a style, an area, but more of an opportunity which might have been why it was hard to link the murders and catch them after the first couple.

For more information on these kidnapping and murders listen to Part 1: The Puente Hills Mall Murders.

Nicole & Arianna Fitts, San Francisco

by Jessica

A lot of the stories we cover in our episodes are ones that have been already covered in depth by the media. There are far more cases every year that do not receive a lot of attention. To remedy this every episode we include information on a cold case that deserves the sort of attention that can cause witnesses to come forward and keep victim's names in the news. In our last episode, we included a terrible case that is less cold than it is pressing.

Nicole Fitts with daughter Arianna
People Magazine

In 2016, the police in San Francisco came to the realization after finding a murder victim named Nicole Fitts, that they also had a missing child to find. That little girl's name was Arianna Fitts and she was the daughter of Nicole. While the SFPD and the FBI continue to search for Arianna, three years have gone by, and it's more important than ever to share their story in the hopes of bringing both a murderer and a kidnapper to justice.

On April 1, 2016, 32 year old Nicole Fitts went missing from San Francisco, CA. At the time, Nicole was living in the Mission Neighborhood and working at Best Buy on Harrison Street. Nicole had been through a lot, including at one point suffering homelessness but she worked very hard and was able, against all the odds, to create a home for her child.

Nicole Fitts, via SFPD

On the day she went missing she worked her shift at Best Buy, then went to the mall with a friend, stopped at a 7-11 to take cash out of an ATM and picked up a pizza at Pizza Hut. After going home she settled in for a movie when she received a phone call around 9:00 pm. After the call she told her roommate that the person on the other end of the line was "the babysitter" who wanted to meet about getting her 2 year old daughter back. Nicole, who had moved into the Mission, had told the sitter that they wouldn't need to watch Arianna after April 2nd. Nicole left her home to meet the caller at a  BJ's Restaurant. She was last seen wearing her blue Best Buy shirt when she boarded a San Francisco City bus, which locals call the Muni, and never returned.

Example of a Best Buy Shirt

Two pieces of evidence in her disappearance have been shared with the public. The first is that at 1:13 am the night Nicole went missing a Facebook post coming from her account was posted. It read, "Spending time with my 3 year old need this brake." The work brake was spelled incorrectly. Nicole's family have serious doubts about Nicole writing this post because her daughter was 2 years old at the time, not 3; and because the word "brake" was misspelled. Nicole's family reports she was fastidious about spelling and grammar.

The second piece happened this same night. Nicole's roommate received a strange text message from her stating that she was going to Fresno with a friend named Sean. Neither her roommate or her family knew of a friend Nicole had that used the name Sean; nor did she have a car.

What happened next was also out of character for Nicole who was known as hard worker who often took extra shifts at Best Buy. On April 2nd and April 3rd she didn't show up for work. Nicole's family came to San Francisco and reported her missing to police. While investigating police also realized that Nicole's daughter, Arianna Fitts had not been seen by anyone in the family since February 2016.

 Arianna Fitts, via SF Weekly

Arianna had been staying with a person the newspaper describes as a "babysitter," while Nicole worked and found a place for them both to live. Nicole had entrusted her daughter with this person and for 6 weeks had been working to get her daughter back. During these weeks she was not allowed to see her daughter and her family posits that she would've done anything to get her back including meeting someone late at night. The names of the people who were watching the child, according to the SF Weekly and The Charley Project are Siolo Hearne, Helena Martin and Devin Martin. On the day Nicole went missing she had planned to move her daughter in with her in the Mission.

In light of this new information, police realized that both Nicole and her daughter were missing. Then on April 8, 2016, Nicole was found in McLaren Park in San Francisco, murdered. Her body had been put in a hole and covered with a piece of plywood. Police believe the plywood was not found in the park but brought by the murderer and hope that a unique painting on it will look familiar to someone. Arianna was not found with her mother and is considered still missing.

Plywood found over Nicole's body, vis CBS San Francisco

The San Francisco Police Department are offering a $100,000 reward for information about Nicole Fitts' murder and for information about her missing daughter Arianna Fitts. There is also a $10,000 reward put for forth by Nicole's employer Best Buy.

When she went missing Arianna Fitts was 2 years old. According to the Charley Project she is african-american, was born on September 6, 2013. was 2 feet tall and 45 pounds. She had black hair and brown eyes. As of today she would be 6 years old and 7 in September. An aged progression photo of what she might look like now is below.

Arianna Fitts age progression, SFPD

Nicole's family is desperately hoping to find Arianna and find answers in Nicole's death. If you have any information on Arianna or Nicole Fitts please contact the San Francisco Police Department at 415-553-0123 or the FBi at 415-553-7400.

More information:

The Charley Project, Arianna Fitts: http://charleyproject.org/case/arianna-fitts

San Francisco Police Department, Nicole and Arianna Fitts: https://www.sanfranciscopolice.org/news/san-francisco-police-announce-100000-reward-homicide

Backer, K.C. (2020 Mar 30). "Calif. Toddler Went Missing and Mom was Found in Shallow Grave--as Police Offer $100,000 Reward." People Magazine, https://people.com/crime/arianna-fitts-missing-california-girl-mom-found-slain/

Bay City News. (2020 Mar 29). "Mother murdered, little girl missing: San Francisco police offer $100,000 reward." The Mercury News, https://www.mercurynews.com/2020/03/29/mother-murdered-little-girl-missing-san-francisco-police-offer-100000-reward/

Toren, Michael. (2020 Mar 27). "Police Offer $100K Reward for Info on Missing Girl." SF Weekly, https://www.sfweekly.com/news/police-offer-100k-reward-for-info-on-missing-girl/

Sawyer Bishari, Nuala. (2018 July 26). "Where is Arianna Fitts?" SF Weekly, https://www.sfweekly.com/topstories/where-is-arianna-fitts/

The Murder of Evelyn & Alex Hernandez in San Francisco

by Jessica

A "perfect victim" is someone who is the victim of a crime who doesn't have something "wrong" with them. A victim, the news, the police and communities don't view as being responsible for their crimes. These victims are often called "innocent" and society easily identifies with them.

One of the consequences of not being a "perfect victim" is less attention is paid to your case by the media and by communities and when you do get attention a lot of effort is put into finding ways the victim could have done better. Perhaps if they hadn't hitchhiked, or dressed a certain way they may not have become prey to a person who holds less responsibility for their murder. We've all heard phrases like, "they asked for it" far too many times.

In each of our upcoming episodes the idea of "perfect" and "imperfect" victims will come into play. It plays a big part in our bonus episode this week. In it we cover the murders of Evelyn and Alex Hernandez. This is a case that received little attention and is when does receive attention its usually connected with a more famous case. When we put together the episode we considered trying to rectify that issue by only giving details in the Hernandez case but the more we researched and saw first hand how little information was given in the case, and how much of it was reported as part of another case, we decided we'd tackle the subject head on.

You can find our episode on this case anywhere you listen to podcasts, on our home page and on Spreaker: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/28000626

Evelyn & Alex Hernandez

Evelyn Hernandez was years old and pregnant with her second child in April of 2002 when her and her five year old son, Alex, were last seen. In the days leading up to her disappearance, Evelyn spent time preparing for her baby's arrival on what doctors believed would be May 7th. She attended a doctors appointment, helped get her son set up with a new bed and talked with her sister about an upcoming baby shower. During that call her sister talked to her about how she would get to a baby shower in Richmond, CA from her San Francisco Amazon-Crocker neighborhood. Evelyn didn't have a car and had been experiencing pain with her pregnancy. She was on disability from her job at the The Clift Royal Sonesta Hotel on Geary Street in downtown San Francisco.

May 1, 2002 was the last time anyone saw or heard from Evelyn and her son Alex. The next day Alex was absent from school and people who tried to get in touch with Evelyn couldn't find her. On May 7, 2002, the two were reported missing by Herman Aguilar and Evelyn's sister. Aguilar was the father of Evelyn's child due on May 7th.

When police go to Evelyn's home they believe it may be possible she's left town to have her baby elsewhere. Family and friends believed this wasn't possible. Evelyn was a legal immigrant from El Salvador and just a week out from giving birth. Traveling would be difficult and her passports were still in her house. Police could not find her wallet.

Sometime after Evelyn went missing a person in South San Francisco found her wallet in a ditch near Colma Creek. The person who finds the wallet has no reason to think they've found anything other than a missing wallet and hoping to get it back to it's owner they try to get in touch with Evelyn. On May 30, 2002, they take the wallet to the police station hoping they might have more luck getting in  touch with Evelyn. To police this is important and telling evidence that something more has happened to Evelyn.

Inside the wallet the police find cash and Evelyn's disability check. They go to the area where the wallet was found and search thoroughly, even using dogs, hoping to find any other evidence. They don't find anything else. Police move Evelyn's case from missing persons to homicide and a press conference is held in the case.

Then on July 24, 2002, someone walking on the Embarcadero, near the Bay Bridge, in San Francisco sees a body in the ocean about 16 feet away from the sea wall. Police pull the body from the bay and find that it is only the lower half of a torso and legs. Maternity clothes is attached or nearby the body. The police check the DNA of the body with DNA from Evelyn's toothbrush. It was a match. Evelyn's unborn child and Alex are nowhere to be found. Police believe that both have also been murdered by the same person who murdered Evelyn.

Information in this case goes cold pretty fast and it's only later in 2002, when Laci Peterson goes missing in Modesto, CA and is found murdered in the San Francisco Bay that attention is paid by the press to Evelyn's case. During the Scott Peterson trial part of his defense was that his wife was killed by another person, the same person who killed Evelyn Hernandez.

While there are some similarities in the two cases, both women were pregnant and found in the bay, the police do not believe there is any evidence to connect the two cases. Scott Peterson was found guilty of murdering his wife Laci Peterson in a very high profile case.

While the two murders are not connected, there is one major difference. The news coverage of first the missing, and then murdered Laci Peterson was heavily covered around the world while the coverage for Evelyn was considerably less. In the local paper, the Hernandez case only garnered a handful of articles and none of them on the front page.

In the episode we talk at length about the reasons why some cases get more attention while others get very little, and sometimes none at all. In fact, most cases never receive the kind of attention famous cases we can all think of do. There doesn't seem to be one reason why a case would garner more attention than another but in Evelyn's case there were several factors that came into play. She was not, as the media would say, a "perfect victim," But no one really is.

Evelyn was a single mother who the papers repeatedly reminded the reader had become pregnant by a man who was married. The fact that she didn't know he was married when she dated him or became pregnant was mentioned once. Most of Evelyn's family lived overseas in El Salvador and though her sisters and friends advocate for her, including holding memorials and keeping hope that Alex is still alive, this hasn't seemed to bring a lot of attention. She wasn't rich, she didn't have a victim's organization advocating on her behalf, and information in the case did not continue to flow as it had in other cases.

But like every victim of murder, Evelyn mattered as much as anyone. Her and her child had a life ahead of them. She was only days away from having her second child who she planned to name Fernando. Lack of attention from the public did not mean that police weren't working hard to find the answers in this case. It also did not meant that the people who loved her didn't grieve and miss the family terribly. Everything that people in larger cases went through this family suffered. And while press may be a blessing for people looking for answers we've seen plenty of cases where it was a double edged sword when it wouldn't die down after answers were had, or when it assumed things about victims instead of treating them as the real people they were.

In this case the police are still investigating. What they need is someone who knows something or saw something to come forward. Over time someone might feel less scared about coming forward, or start to feel guilty about their role in the crime. Keeping Evelyn and Alex in the news means reminding people everyday that they were real, they deserved better and that three lives were taken.

If you have any information in this case please call police in San Francisco at 415-553-1071. If you wish to stay anonymous please call 415-575-4444.

You can find more information and a full list of our works cited for this episode here: https://sites.google.com/view/californiatruecrime/episodes-page/season-2/evelyn-alex-hernandez?authuser=0

We Recorded! It's harder than it sounds!

by Jessica

We did it! We recorded an episode this last Saturday. *crickets* I know it doesn't sound like a milestone but it really was for us. Since we haven't edited the episode it's hard to say how successful it was but each step forward feels big. Just two weeks ago we attempted to record our first remote episode and boy, did things go sideways fast. At the end of that night I really felt that we might not be able to pull this off. After a night of googling (rather than sleeping) and mining audacity's many question and answer threads we went back to the beginning, started over and figured it out.

We've all been here

On Saturday we started over with only a minor setback that might've gotten me to tear just a little bit of hair out. But we made it through. One episode down! Now comes the editing and fingers crossed you'll be able hear us clearly. Just like when we recorded our very first episodes there will be a learning curve to getting this Zoom thing down.

Let's just say we are cautiously optimistic this will work and we'll have episodes out to you soon. I'll be even happier when this episode is edited and we have, on our computers and ready to load up, a full episode with the three of us talking about things we care about, in this case a cold case that we know you'll be interested in and want to help get attention. That day we'll have a party! Hey, we should do it on a platform where we can do it together. You are, after all, a big reason we are doing this. Thank you for being the best listeners out there!

Of course, this small thing which feels so big to us, isn't as important as a lot of what's happening around the world. However, pieces of normalcy keep us all sane and talking with Sean and Charles, finding these two people who are interested in similar things while still challenging my own ideas and beliefs, well its become one of the most "normal" parts of my life this past two years. I guess I'm saying that I'm lucky, both to have them and all of you.

We hope that you are all staying safe and we're excited to be very close to starting our second season. Hopefully, you'll enjoy it as much as we've enjoyed putting it together. We can't wait to be able to talk to you about these cases and find out what you think. Thank you for being patient and being a part of the CaliTrueCrime community!