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

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.

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.

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

Murder of Mary London, Cold Case in Sacramento, Solved

by Jessica

Mary London
pic from Newsweek

Mary London was 17 years and a 10th grader when she went to school at Sacramento High School on January 14, 1981.  She attended all her classes that day and when school ended at 2:00 pm she stayed behind to help a teacher clean up their classroom from a lesson. Sometime after this a hall monitor would be the last person to see her alive. No one on campus saw her leave and when her stepmom came to pick her up at 2:30 pm she couldn't be found.

Sacramento Charter High School via Google Maps

In 1981, Mary London was living with her father and stepmom in Sacramento on U Street. Her father owned a shoe shine parlor at 9th Street and J Street in the heart of downtown Sacramento. In December 1980, Mary had moved in with her father and transferred from McClatchy High School to Sacramento High School. Though she had yet to make new friends she was described by people as a "nice kid" and "bubbly." In the Sacramento Bee article titled, "Foul Play: High School Girl Found Murdered," a friend of the family said of Mary, "She was just beginning to live. Her father was so proud of her. If I was her father, I'd have been proud, too. She was a pretty girl."

When Mary went missing she was described as 4 feet 11 inches tall, 110 pounds and wearing rust colored corduroy pants and a sweater that was maroon. No one at the school came forward to say they saw her leave campus, or get a ride from someone else. To them she simply disappeared from the face of the earth. The only possible clue released to the public was that an eye witness came forward to say they thought they saw her get into a vehicle near 8th and K Streets in Sacramento. The possible witness believed there were three men in the vehicle and that they saw this happen between 4:00 and 5:00 pm that day. This area is almost 3 miles north-west of the school. According to google maps it would have taken her an hour walking to reach this distance. If she was seen in this area she would have been only a mile away from her house and just a few minutes from her father's business on 9th Street and J Street. Police shared the witness information with the public but did not say whether it was considered accurate or if anyone else saw what this witness saw.

Map Showing Mary's possible path walking home via google maps
U Street is her house, 8th & K Street where a witness may have seen her

The next day, Thursday, January 15, 1981 at 7:00 am, a Pacific Telephone Employee was out checking phone lines on San Juan Rd in Sacramento when they found the body of Mary London. The area she was found was rural and on a stretch of road with I-5 to the East and I-880 to the South. Mary London's body was found nude except for socks and one brown shoe. On her right wrist she had a piece of twine tied. Police did not know if she had at one point after she went missing been tied up but the piece of twine indicated that may have been possible. Mary was stabbed several times in the chest. Police didn't know at the time if she was sexually assaulted and if that changed that information was never printed in the newspaper.

Approximate area Mary London was found via google maps

Investigators began to put together a timeline of Mary's last day but with little information and DNA testing yet to come, her case quickly became cold. The Sacramento Bee, the newspaper of record for the area, added the murder of Mary London to their Secret Witness Program and offered $2,500 dollars to anyone with information that would lead to answers in this case. Under the Secret Witness program, tipsters are allowed to remain anonymous and it doesn't impact whether or not they receive the money.

In April of 2020, 39 years after Mary was murdered, Sacramento police announced that they had found the sole suspect in Mary London's murder. Using genetic genealogy, the police were able to match DNA found on the victim with a man named Vernon Parker.

Parker was 17 in 1981, when Mary went missing and was murdered. While finding this connection meant Mary's case was now solved and closed it was announced that Vernon Parker would not face a courtroom. Unfortunately, Parker was murdered only a year after it's believed he murdered Mary.

In August of 1982, one of Parker's friends got into a fight with another man at the Hof Brau Bar near 7th and L Street in Sacramento. Two hours after the fight took place, Vernon Parker walked back into the bar, told the people inside he had been stabbed and collapsed. The man who stabbed Parker, was also the man involved in the earlier fights, told police that Parker and his friend had attacked him on 10th and L Streets. He said that he stabbed Parker in self defense.

Vernon Parker was killed in the stabbing and his murderer was sentenced to five years in state prison.

The Sacramento Bee, December 18, 1982

While Vernon Parker won't be handed a jail sentence for the crime of murdering Mary London the hard work by investigators does provide answers for those who loved her. Nothing can repair the crime Parker committed in 1981 and the loss for everyone who knew Mary.

A younger Mary London
pic from Newsweek

On January 21, 1981, a funeral was held for Mary Cathy London at Thompson Funeral Home.


For More Information:

Maharidge, Dale & Alex Miller. (1981 Jan 16). "Foul Play, High School Girl Found Murdered." The Sacramento Bee, B1.

"Capital Teen's Slaying Joins Secret Witness List." (1981 Jan 29). The Sacramento Bee, B3.

Mary C. London Funeral Notice. (1981 Jan 21). The Sacramento Bee, A21.

Mary London Secret Witness Information. (1981 Apr 23). The Sacramento Bee, AA6.

"Stabbing Victim." (1982 Aug 25). The Sacramento Bee, B2.

"Killer Draws Prison." (1982 Aug 18). The Sacramento Bee, E5.

McGough, Michael. (2020 Apr 23). "DNA links suspect to 1981 cold case murder of disabled Sacramento teen, police say." The Sacramento Bee; available at: https://www.sacbee.com/news/local/crime/article242230826.html

Murdock, Jason. (2020 Apr 24). "DNA Breakthrough Identifies Suspect In Cold Case Murder of California Teen Unsolved For Nearly 40 Years." Newsweek; available at https://www.newsweek.com/california-sacramento-police-cold-case-mary-london-dna-genetic-genealogy-testing-1499951

Unsolved Murder of Veronica Martinez (1992)

Written by: Jessica

About halfway through our first season we realized that the cases we had covered had also been cases that were, for the most part, covered in depth by the media. While researching we came across thousands of cases that we had never heard of, and also had received far less media attention. Many of these cases were unsolved and in most loved ones or police were asking the public for help. This is when we decided to end our episodes with a cold case to highlight in some small way the victims of these unsolved crimes.

One of the first cases we came across while researching the murders perpetrated by Cary Stayner was the murder of Veronica Martinez near Cool, CA in 1992. After Stayner was captured police around the state looked through their cold case files to see if the possibility that these unsolved cases might involve Stayner. Several cases popped out as possibilities. They tended to be cases where the victim was murdered, or found murdered in the wilderness, and in the general vicinity of places that Stayner was known to have been or traveled. While none of these cases have ever been linked to Stayner through any direct evidence they do highlight how little attention the victims received, especially in contrast to the murders of Carole Sund, Juli Sund, Silvina Pelosso and Joie Armstrong. 

Conversely, there were only a handful of articles on the murder of Veronica Martinez and we were unable to find a photo of her. She hasn't been forgotten by the people who love and miss her and police need information from the public to help solve this awful crime.

Veronica Martinez was only 19 years old when she was last seen in Sacramento, CA on January 27, 1992. On that day, Veronica had her friend drop her off at a Pak N'Save grocery store on Florin Rd and told them she would have her brother pick her up when she was done. Martinez never returned. Her family filed a missing persons report on January 30, 1992 in Cool, CA, a small town 40 miles outside Sacramento.

At the time Veronica Martinez was a mother of two, with one on the way. In 1992 her children were 2 and 4 years old and were not with her when she disappeared. When she was last seen she was wearing a white sweater and red pants. She is of Hispanic descent, 5 feet 4 inches tall and 130 pounds.

On March 7, 1992, 11 days after disappearing, Veronica Martinez' body was found off Hwy 49 between Auburn and Placerville in El Dorado County. Depending on where the body was found this was anywhere from 35-60 minutes away from where she was last seen. Her body was found by a man who was collecting bottles on the side of Hwy 49, a mainly rural road throughout the area. Martinez was placed near "Cool Cave" and at the bottom of a steep ravine in heavy brush. She was nude, except for a bra, wrapped in plastic and her head had been decapitated.

Veronica Martinez was found along Hwy 49 between Placerville & Auburn
via Google Maps

Police believe that Veronica Martinez may have been alive and held for a period of time before being found. Her autopsy showed she had been deceased for 7-10 days and her body was badly decomposed. It is not believed she was sexually assaulted. Police do not know what Veronica Martinez' cause of death was.

The search for whomever murdered Veronica Martinez is ongoing. As this case wasn't widely covered, we know very little about Martinez. She was a mother of two and was pregnant with her third child. She worked as a waitress in Sacramento to provide for her family. She and her loved ones deserve answers and justice.

If you have any information about the murder of Veronica Martinez please contact the El Dorado County Cold Case Task Force by phone at 530-621-4590 or by email at coldcasetaskforce@ecdgov.us

For more information:

"Sheriff Looking into Link in Women's Murders." (1992 Mar 15). The Press Tribune, A-2.

"Autopsy on Headless Body Inconclusive (Police Digest)." (1992 June 16). The Press Tribune, A-2.

KXTV Staff. (2017 Sept 27). "Cold Case Homicides that Haunt the Greater Sacramento Area." ABC 10; available at: https://www.abc10.com/article/news/local/cold-case-homicides-that-haunt-the-greater-sacramento-area/477359931

The Murder of Rhoda Harris in Monterey, CA in 1967

As more and more cases are solved, thanks in part to genealogical DNA, we're also reminded of the thousands and thousands of cases that are unsolved all around California. Many of the them may see renewed hope by investigators who worked diligently at the time they happened to preserve evidence but many more will never be able to take advantage of those leaps in technology. In each of those cases there remain friends, family and communities who recall the terrible acts of murder and still have hope that some resolution can be found but as time moves forward and witnesses and even possible suspects age and pass on, time will run out. Police continue to work on these cases and in the case of Monterey, CA, continue to ask the public for any information they have. One of the first steps of finding such information is continuing to get the details of these crimes out to the public. 

Rhoda Harris from Monterey PD Unsolved Homicde

Rhoda Harris was a 61 year old Monterey, CA woman who had been divorced for 29 years in 1967. Like many people in the area she had raised a family and was enjoying her older years and in particular, the sport of bowling. As a member of a bowling league she even had her own personal bowling ball complete with a bag and her name etched into the ball.

Her life came to an end in 1967 in a case that is still unsolved by Monterey detectives.

In the afternoon of November 29, 1967, Rhoda Harris' daughter Evelyn was trying to get in touch with her mother. Evelyn lived in Carmel, only a little over 4 miles from her mother's house on McNear Street in Monterey. After calling her on the telephone and receiving no answer she decided to drive to Monterey to check if her mother was okay.

When Evelyn arrived at the house she found that her mother's front door was unlocked and open. Inside she found her mother, Rhoda Harris, on the floor of her living room in a position the newspaper, The Californian, described as "sprawled." She had been beaten and stabbed 10-25 times in the upper chest, hands and face.

Map of McNear Street where Rhoda Harris lived via Google Maps

It isn’t clear who committed this crime but the scene was gruesome. Rhoda Harris had her feet and hands bound with lamp cord and her numerous stab wounds appear to have been committed by a knife, scissors and a fireplace poker. Later police find an ice pick that may also have been used. The coroner believes she had been murdered the day before on Wednesday, November 28, 1967.

Harris’ car is also missing from her garage and police send out an alert on the vehicle in the hopes of finding her car, and any clues to this horrible crime. The car was described as a 4 door Dodge Dart Sedan with the license plate RKW 496 and of a light blue color. 

Example of a Dodge Dart during 1967, Rhoda Harris' was light blue
via Old Car Brochures

The Deputy District Attorney at the time tells the newspaper that finding the car is very important, "We have little to go on at this time, and are hoping that a checkout of her car will give us some sort of lead."

On November 30, 1967, 14 miles north of Monterey in the town of Marina, CA. The car was in a church parking lot and had been sitting in the rain for two days. Police tow the car to a garage and begin searching the vehicle, checking for clues and fingerprints. On the dash of the car they find an ice pick that may have been used to murder Rhoda Harris.

The Californian notes that 1967 was an especially gruesome year for murders in Monterey County. The article below notes that more than “a dozen” gruesome deaths happened that year and while the majority of those cases have some resolution, the death of Rhoda Harris remains unsolved. 

The Californian, Dec 30, 1967
via Newspapers.com

Two months later, in January of 1968, a man operating a bulldozer in Marina, CA on a lot near the intersection of Reservation Road and California Ave, finds a bowling ball when machinery pushes a bag about 40 feet, causing the ball to roll out. The man turned that ball over to police who recognized the name etched on the ball as the same as a murder victim in Monterey: Rhoda Harris. This is the last clue in this murder case that either exists or is shared with the public.  

Map showing the approximate area the bowling ball was found near Reservation Rd & California Ave, Marina
via Google Maps

The Californian, Jan 11, 1968
via Newspapers.com

Rhoda Harris’ case has been unsolved for over 50 years. She and her family deserve answers about her murder. If you have any information about her case please call Monterey Police Investigations Division at 831-646-3814.

For more information on this case:

"Monterey Woman Murdered." (1967, Nov 30). The Californian, pg. 1. via newspapers.com
"Slaying Clues Sought." (1967. Dec 1). The Californian, pg. 1. via newspapers.com
"Texas Boy Questioned In Slaying." (1967, Dec 7). The Californian, pg. 4. via newspapers.com
"1967 Was Extraordinary Year for Violent Death." (1967, Dec 30). The Californian, pg. 2. via newspapers.com
"Murder Victim's Bowling Ball Found in Lot." (1968, Jan 11). The Californian, pg. 5. via newspapers.com
Baldwin, Doug. (1968, Jan 15). "192 Die Violent Deaths In County During 1967." The Californian, pg. 13. via newspapers.com