December in Cold Case History
58 documented cases began in December, listed by the day of the incident or disappearance (for a series, the first incident). 27 are still unsolved. Further down, 283 other dated developments recorded in December: arrests, verdicts, identifications and discoveries. For today's date, see on this day.
December 1
- 1946Paula Jean WeldenUnsolvedBennington College sophomore Paula Welden went for a hike on the Long Trail near Bennington, Vermont and was never seen again.
- 1948Somerton ManIdentifiedAn unidentified man was found dead on Somerton Beach in Adelaide, Australia with a scrap of paper reading 'Tamám Shud' (meaning…
- 1994Melissa WittUnsolvedNineteen-year-old Melissa Witt was abducted from the parking lot of the Bowling World bowling alley in Fort Smith, Arkansas, on…
- 2018Grace MillaneConvictionBritish backpacker Grace Millane was strangled in a central Auckland hotel apartment on the night of December 1-2, 2018, the eve…
December 2
- 1983Kellie PoppletonUnsolvedKellie Jean Poppleton, a 14-year-old Fremont student, was found dead beside Kilkare Road in Sunol, California on December 2, 1983.
- 2016Sarah SternConvictionSarah Stern, 19, was strangled at her Neptune City, New Jersey, home on December 2, 2016, during a robbery, and her body was…
December 3
- 1989Melissa BrannenConvictionFive-year-old Melissa Brannen vanished from a community Christmas party at her Lorton, Virginia apartment complex in December…
- 2010Tina SmithConvictionTina Smith, 41, was found dead in her Roanoke County, Virginia home on December 6, 2010, and her 12-year-old daughter was missing.
December 4
- 1998Suzanne JovinUnsolvedSuzanne Jovin, a 21-year-old Yale University senior, was stabbed to death in a New Haven neighborhood in December 1998.
December 5
- 1978Theresa CorleyUnsolvedTheresa Corley, 19, of Bellingham, Massachusetts, left the Train Stop bar in Franklin late on December 4, 1978, and was last…
- 1982Alisha Heinrich (Delta Dawn)UnsolvedOn December 5, 1982, the body of an unidentified toddler was recovered from the Escatawpa River near the Interstate 10 bridge in…
- 2015Katelin AkensUnsolvedKatelin Akens, 19, vanished on December 5, 2015, after being dropped at her former stepfather's home in Partlow, Spotsylvania…
December 6
- 1991Austin Yogurt Shop VictimsSolvedFour girls aged 13 to 17 were shot and an I Can't Believe It's Yogurt! shop was set on fire in Austin, Texas, on December 6, 1991.
- 2009Susan PowellUnsolvedSusan Powell vanished from her West Valley City, Utah home while her husband Josh claimed to have taken their two young sons…
- 2014Jessica ChambersUnsolvedNineteen-year-old Jessica Chambers was found burning on a road in Courtland, Mississippi, her body set on fire while she was…
December 7
- 1985Lily Janelle (Frenchville Baby Jane Doe)ConvictionOn December 7, 1985, a dog carried the frozen body of a newborn girl from a gravel pit in Frenchville, Maine, to a nearby home.
- 2003Daniel MorcombeConvictionThirteen-year-old Daniel Morcombe disappeared while waiting for a bus at Woombye on Queensland's Sunshine Coast on December 7…
- 2019Harmony MontgomeryPending TrialFive-year-old Harmony Montgomery is believed to have died in Manchester, New Hampshire, in December 2019 but was not reported…
December 8
- 1963Frank Sinatra Jr. KidnappingConvictionSinger Frank Sinatra Jr., 19, was abducted at gunpoint from Harrah's Club Lodge at Lake Tahoe on December 8, 1963.
December 9
- 1974Beverly Lynn SmithUnsolvedBeverly Lynn Smith, 22, was killed by a single gunshot to the head in the kitchen of her home in Raglan, north of Oshawa…
- 2001Kathleen PetersonConvictionKathleen Peterson, 48, was found dead at the foot of a staircase in her Durham, North Carolina, home on December 9, 2001.
December 10
- 1964Frank MorrisUnsolvedFrank Morris, a Black shoe-shop owner in Ferriday, Louisiana, was fatally burned in the early hours of December 10, 1964, when…
- 1988Scott JohnsonConvictionAmerican mathematician Scott Johnson, 27, was found dead below the North Head cliffs at Manly, Sydney, on December 10, 1988.
December 12
- 1910Dorothy ArnoldUnsolvedDorothy Harriet Camille Arnold, a young New York socialite, disappeared while walking in Manhattan in 1910, in one of the era's…
- 2021Lauren Smith-FieldsUnsolvedLauren Smith-Fields, 23, was found dead in her Bridgeport, Connecticut apartment on December 12, 2021 after a first date with a…
December 13
- 2009Steven KoecherUnsolvedSteven Thell Koecher, a 30-year-old resident of St. George, Utah, was last seen at midday on December 13, 2009, when home…
December 14
- 1991Sarah YarboroughConvictionSarah Yarborough, 16, was sexually assaulted and strangled at Federal Way High School near Seattle in 1991.
- 2012Sandy Hook VictimsSolvedTwenty first-grade students and six educators were shot dead at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, on…
- 2020Peter Nygard VictimsConvictionFormer fashion executive Peter Nygard was convicted by a Toronto jury in November 2023 of four counts of sexual assault and…
December 16
- 1935Thelma ToddUnsolvedFilm actress Thelma Todd, 29, was found dead of carbon monoxide poisoning in her car inside a Pacific Palisades garage on…
- 2004Bobbie Jo StinnettConvictionBobbie Jo Stinnett, a 23-year-old woman eight months pregnant, was strangled in Skidmore, Missouri in December 2004 and her…
December 17
- 1962William 'Billy' Jones Jr.UnsolvedThree-year-old William "Billy" Jones Jr. disappeared on December 17, 1962, while playing outside with his younger sister in…
- 1968Barbara Jane MackleConvictionBarbara Jane Mackle, 20, an Emory University student, was abducted at gunpoint from a Decatur, Georgia, motel on December 17…
- 2011Erica ParsonsConvictionErica Parsons, 13, of Rowan County, North Carolina, died in December 2011 but was not reported missing until July 30, 2013.
December 18
- 2011Phoenix ColdonUnsolvedPhoenix Coldon, a 23-year-old college student, was last seen on December 18, 2011, driving away from her family's home in…
- 2013Heather ElvisPartially SolvedHeather Elvis, 20, disappeared in Horry County, South Carolina, on December 18, 2013; her car was found at Peachtree Landing.
- 2022Natalie McNallyConvictionNatalie McNally, 32 and 15 weeks pregnant, was beaten and stabbed to death at her home in Lurgan, County Armagh, on December 18…
December 19
- 1979Michelle MartinkoConvictionEighteen-year-old Michelle Martinko was stabbed to death in her family's car in a Cedar Rapids, Iowa, shopping mall parking lot…
December 20
- 1968David Faraday & Betty Lou JensenUnsolvedDavid Faraday, 17, and Betty Lou Jensen, 16, were shot with a .22-caliber pistol at a turnout on Lake Herman Road, just outside…
- 1968Zodiac Killer VictimsUnsolvedAt least five confirmed victims were killed by an unidentified serial killer in Northern California between 1968 and 1969.
- 1976Evelyn Colon ("Beth Doe")IdentifiedThe dismembered remains of a pregnant young woman were found in three suitcases along the Lehigh River near White Haven…
- 1984Jonelle MatthewsConvictionJonelle Matthews, a 12-year-old girl, vanished from her Greeley, Colorado home in December 1984 after a Christmas choir concert.
- 1987Barbara BlatnikNo ConvictionBarbara Blatnik, 17, of Garfield Heights, Ohio, was found strangled beside O'Neil Road in Cuyahoga Falls on December 20, 1987.
- 2002Brian CarrickUnsolvedBrian Carrick, 17, vanished on December 20, 2002 after walking into Val's Foods, the Johnsburg, Illinois grocery store where he…
- 2021Lina Sardar KhilUnsolvedLina Sardar Khil, 3, disappeared on December 20, 2021, from the playground of the Villas Del Cabo apartment complex in San…
December 23
- 1974Fort Worth Missing TrioUnsolvedMary Rachel Trlica, 17, Lisa Renee Wilson, 14, and Julie Ann Moseley, 9, disappeared on December 23, 1974, after going Christmas…
December 24
- 1945Sodder ChildrenUnsolvedFive of the ten Sodder children disappeared during a Christmas Eve house fire in Fayetteville, West Virginia.
- 1991Dana IrelandPartially SolvedDana Ireland, 23, was abducted, raped and fatally beaten on the Big Island of Hawaii on Christmas Eve 1991.
- 2000Susan Berman, Kathleen Durst & Morris BlackPartially SolvedWriter Susan Berman, 55, was found shot in her Los Angeles home on December 24, 2000.
- 2002Laci PetersonConvictionLaci Peterson was eight months pregnant when she disappeared on Christmas Eve 2002.
- 2010Lori Erica RuffIdentifiedA Texas woman known as Lori Erica Ruff died by suicide on Christmas Eve, leaving behind evidence she had been living under a…
December 26
- 1996JonBenét RamseyUnsolvedSix-year-old JonBenét Ramsey was found dead in the basement of her family's Boulder home on December 26, 1996, hours after her…
December 27
- 1986Cara KnottConvictionCara Knott, a 20-year-old San Diego State University student, was strangled and thrown into a ravine in December 1986 after…
- 2009Gabriel JohnsonUnsolvedEight-month-old Gabriel Johnson vanished after his mother, Elizabeth Johnson, took him from Tempe, Arizona, to San Antonio…
December 28
- 1956Barbara & Patricia GrimesUnsolvedSisters Barbara, 15, and Patricia Grimes, 12, vanished on December 28, 1956, after going to see an Elvis Presley film at…
December 29
- 2024Damon Eugene BluthenthalUnsolvedDamon Eugene Bluthenthal, a 50-year-old San Pedro man, was reported missing on Christmas Eve 2024 and found dead five days later…
December 30
- 1999Lauria Bible and Ashley FreemanPartially SolvedBest friends Lauria Bible and Ashley Freeman, both 16, disappeared from the Freeman family home near Welch, Oklahoma, on the…
December 31
- 2009Shele CovlinConvictionShele Danishefsky Covlin, a 47-year-old Wall Street money manager, was found dead in the bathtub of her Upper West Side…
Other developments recorded in December
Show 283 dated developments
December 1
- 1969Charles Manson VictimsLos Angeles authorities announce indictments against Manson and Family members for the Tate–LaBianca murders.
- 1970Isdal WomanTwo suitcases with coded diary entries and multiple identities are found at Bergen Railway Station.
- 2003Dru SjodinAlfonso Rodriguez Jr., a recently released Level 3 sex offender from Crookston, Minnesota, is arrested in…
- 2005Carlie BruciaThe jury recommends the death penalty by a 10-2 vote.
- 2008Darnell Donerson, Jason Hudson & Julian KingWilliam Balfour, estranged husband of Hudson's sister Julia, is arrested and charged with three counts of…
- 2010Kyron HormanOfficials report the search effort had generated thousands of tips and cost more than $1 million, with no…
- 2013Lauren SpiererThe civil claim against defendant Michael Beth is dismissed after the court finds no legal duty of care.
- 2015Jennifer LaudePemberton convicted of homicide.
- 2015Laquan McDonaldMayor Rahm Emanuel forces the resignation of Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy.
- 2016Terri 'Missy' BeversAdditional surveillance footage of the vehicle of interest circling the area is publicized.
December 2
- 1892Andrew & Abby BordenA grand jury indicts Lizzie Borden on charges of murdering her father and stepmother.
- 1946Paula Jean WeldenSearch parties begin combing the trail and surrounding wilderness.
- 1983St. Louis Jane Doe (Precious Hope)With no identification after ten months, the girl is buried as a Jane Doe at Washington Park Cemetery…
- 1993Polly KlaasCriminalists match Davis's palm print to a print recovered from Polly's bedroom.
- 2012Israel Keyes VictimsKeyes is found dead in the Anchorage jail; authorities announce his confessions to the Koenig and Currier…
- 2018Kelsey BerrethHer mother, Cheryl Berreth, reports her missing.
- 2021Tammy TerrellHenderson police publicly announce that Arroyo Grande Jane Doe is Tammy Terrell.
- 2024Angie HousmanCox dies in custody of apparent natural causes.
- 2024Jorge Torres Jr.Judge Michael Kraynick sentences Boone to life in prison.
- 2024Kellie PoppletonSheriff's Office again highlights the case on the 41st anniversary.
December 3
- 1889Paul BernPaul Bern is born Paul Levy in Wandsbek, Germany.
- 1926Hall–Mills MurdersFrances Hall and her brothers Henry and William Stevens are acquitted; the murders remain unsolved.
- 1982Alisha Heinrich (Delta Dawn)Witnesses report seeing a distressed woman carrying a barefoot, coatless toddler along Interstate 10 near…
- 1984Vicki Lynne HoskinsonAtwood pleads not guilty to kidnapping.
- 1995Nancy Leichner & Pamela NaterSchaefer is stabbed to death by fellow inmate Vincent Faustino Rivera at Florida State Prison, never having…
- 2005Jeannie Mills FamilyThe couple's son, Edward Mills, is arrested at San Francisco International Airport.
- 2014Eric GarnerA Staten Island grand jury declines to indict Pantaleo on state criminal charges; the U.S.
- 2015Reeva SteenkampThe Supreme Court of Appeal replaces the verdict with a murder conviction.
- 2020Alexis MurphyHuman remains are recovered on private property in Lovingston near U.S. Route 29 and Stagebridge Road.
- 2023Rachel Louise CookeKTBC reports Cooke is still missing and the case remains unsolved.
- 2025Kellie PoppletonPatch reports the case remains unsolved as deputies renew their appeal.
December 4
- 1921Virginia RappeThe first trial ends in a hung jury.
- 1964James Chaney, Andrew Goodman & Michael SchwernerMore than a dozen suspects, including Deputy Price and Sheriff Rainey, are arrested on federal charges.
- 1978Theresa CorleyTheresa Corley, 19, spends the evening at the Train Stop bar in Franklin, Massachusetts, and leaves late at…
- 1993Polly KlaasDavis confesses and leads investigators to Polly's body in a shallow grave near Cloverdale; she had been…
- 2001Mickey & Trudy ThompsonGoodwin is arrested and charged with two counts of murder.
- 2004Robert Keith PalomaresAn Arizona warrant is issued charging Jason Derek Brown with first-degree murder and armed robbery.
- 2008Ann GotlibLouisville Metro Police publicly name Oakley as the likely perpetrator, citing an ATM record and a jailhouse…
- 2009Anthony Sowell VictimsAll eleven victims are identified by the county medical examiner.
- 2014Amina and Sarah SaidThe FBI adds Yaser Said to its Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list (date per Wikipedia).
- 2014Phoenix ColdonNBC News profiles the case in its Missing in America series.
- 2020Alisha Heinrich (Delta Dawn)Jackson County authorities publicly announce the identification; Gwendolyn Clemons remains missing.
- 2025Sergei & Yulia Skripal PoisoningThe Dawn Sturgess Inquiry reports that President Putin authorised the operation; the UK sanctions the GRU.
December 5
- 1962Boston Strangler VictimsSophie Clark, 20, is killed, one of several victims murdered during the second half of 1962.
- 1991Richard Speck VictimsRichard Speck dies of a heart attack in custody, one day before his 50th birthday.
- 2012Lyric Cook and Elizabeth CollinsHunters discover the girls' remains at Seven Bridges Wildlife Area in Bremer County, about 25 miles away…
- 2016Walter ScottJudge Clifton Newman declares a mistrial after the jury deadlocks (reported 11-1 in favor of conviction).
- 2018Grace MillaneHer family reports her missing after birthday messages go unanswered.
- 2018Lynette DawsonChris Dawson arrested and charged with murder.
- 2020Zodiac Killer VictimsAn international team (David Oranchak, Sam Blake, Jarl Van Eycke) solves the Z340 cipher; the FBI confirms…
- 2024Brianna GheyThe Court of Appeal refuses Ratcliffe permission to appeal his sentence.
December 6
- 1994Dr. John Bayard BrittonHill is sentenced to death.
- 2004Robert Keith PalomaresA federal warrant is issued charging Brown with unlawful flight to avoid prosecution.
- 2005Patrice EndresPatrice's skeletal remains are found behind a church on Kelly Bridge Road in Dawson County.
- 2007Anna Mae AquashGraham is extradited from Canada.
- 2010Tina SmithSmith's body is found in her Roanoke County home and an Amber Alert is issued for her 12-year-old daughter.
- 2021Jessica ChambersOn the seventh anniversary of Chambers's death, reporting notes no third trial has been scheduled and the…
- 2024Roy Allen TsatokeRoy's family holds a community meeting at the Comfort Inn in Arcata to share information and organize…
December 7
- 1969James KinneSharon Kinne escapes from prison in Mexico City and disappears.
- 1971List Family MurdersPolice find the five bodies in the house.
- 1973Mary Ellen DeenerEubanks fails to return from an unsupervised furlough at a Columbus shopping center.
- 2004Coral Eugene Watts VictimsWatts is sentenced to life in prison.
- 2009Susan PowellRelatives report the family missing; Josh Powell tells police he took the boys on a midnight desert camping…
- 2012The Notorious B.I.G. (Christopher Wallace)The long-sealed county autopsy report is made public, 15 years after the shooting.
- 2014Jessica ChambersChambers dies from her injuries at a hospital in the Memphis, Tennessee area.
- 2015Katelin AkensHer suitcase is found beside River Road in Spotsylvania County with most of its contents missing.
- 2017Walter ScottU.S. District Judge David C. Norton sentences Slager to 20 years in federal prison, finding the conduct…
- 2018Mary Ellen DeenerEubanks is added to the U.S. Marshals 15 Most Wanted Fugitives list.
- 2018Rebecca ZahauSheriff Bill Gore announces that a fresh review found no evidence of homicide; the case is not reopened.
- 2019Nikki KuhnhausenHer remains are found near Larch Mountain in northeast Clark County.
- 2021Kyle ClinkscalesA submerged car containing skeletal remains, a wallet, and identification is found in a creek near…
- 2024Roy Allen TsatokeFamily-organized search party combs the Willow Creek area, near his phone's last known location.
December 8
- 1977BTK Killer VictimsNancy Fox, 25, is strangled in Wichita; the killer later phones police to report the crime.
- 1978Theresa CorleyA caller using the name John Burlington reports a body off Interstate 495; her body is found in a ditch off…
- 2007Robert Keith PalomaresThe FBI adds Brown to its Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list as the 489th fugitive named.
- 2016Anthony Sowell VictimsThe Ohio Supreme Court affirms Sowell's convictions and death sentence.
- 2017Lisa ZiegertA grand jury indicts Schara for first-degree murder, aggravated kidnapping and aggravated rape.
- 2017Teresa HalbachThe full Seventh Circuit reverses 4-3 to reinstate Dassey's conviction after lower courts had overturned it.
- 2018Grace MillanePolice open a homicide inquiry; a 26-year-old man is arrested and charged with murder.
- 2021Andrew GosdenTwo men, aged 38 and 45, are arrested in London on suspicion of kidnap and human trafficking.
- 2021Laci PetersonPeterson is resentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
- 2022Joseph Augustus ZarelliPhiladelphia police identify the boy as Joseph Augustus Zarelli.
December 9
- 1963Frank Sinatra Jr. KidnappingJohn Irwin telephones Frank Sinatra Sr. and tells him to await instructions.
- 1981Jason Johnson (Camoflauge)Jason Akeil Johnson is born in Savannah, Georgia.
- 1982Jimmy HoffaAn Oakland County probate judge declares Hoffa legally dead, effective as of July 30, 1982.
- 2007Robert Pickton VictimsThe jury convicts Pickton of six counts of second-degree murder.
- 2015Jason Callahan ("Grateful Doe")DNA testing confirms "Grateful Doe" is Jason Patrick Callahan of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
- 2018Grace MillaneHer body is found in the Waitākere Ranges, west of Auckland.
- 2021Young DolphCornelius Smith is arrested in Southaven, Mississippi, on an auto-theft warrant linked to the Mercedes.
- 2024Jordan NeelyDaniel Penny acquitted.
- 2025Sandra BirchmoreFederal prosecutors announce they will not seek the death penalty.
December 10
- 1945Suzanne DegnanFrances Brown is killed; a message in lipstick is found on a wall of her apartment.
- 1963Frank Sinatra Jr. KidnappingThe kidnappers demand $240,000.
- 1991Son of Sam VictimsThe U.S. Supreme Court strikes down New York's original 'Son of Sam' profit law in Simon & Schuster v.
- 1993Dorothea Puente VictimsPuente is sentenced to two life terms without the possibility of parole.
- 2009Beverly Lynn SmithAfter a Mr. Big undercover operation, Alan Smith is arrested again and charged with first-degree murder.
- 2009Jeremy GuilloryAfter a bench trial, Langley is convicted of second-degree murder and receives life without parole.
- 2009Steven KoecherKoecher drives roughly 1,100 miles in one day from St. George through Salt Lake City to West Wendover and…
- 2010Anna Mae AquashA state jury convicts Graham of felony murder.
- 2010Elizabeth SmartA federal jury finds Brian David Mitchell guilty of kidnapping and unlawful transportation of a minor across…
- 2010Tina SmithA shopper recognizes the girl outside a San Francisco Safeway; Jeffrey Scott Easley is arrested and the…
- 2011Karen SwiftKaren's body is found hidden near Bledsoe Cemetery in Dyer County; she died of blunt force trauma to the head.
- 2015Daniel Holtzclaw VictimsJury convicts Holtzclaw on 18 counts involving eight women and acquits him on 18.
- 2021Stephen Port VictimsInquest jury finds all four were unlawfully killed and that police failings probably contributed to three of…
- 2022LeeAnna WarnerLeeAnna's mother, Tiffany "Kaelin" Whittaker, dies; family members say she asked her daughters to keep…
December 11
- 1963Frank Sinatra Jr. KidnappingThe FBI makes the ransom drop in Sepulveda, California; Sinatra Jr. is released and found in Bel Air.
- 1978John Wayne Gacy Victims15-year-old Robert Piest goes missing after leaving to meet Gacy about a job, triggering the investigation.
- 2007Robert Pickton VictimsPickton is sentenced to life in prison with no parole eligibility for 25 years.
- 2008Caylee AnthonySkeletal remains are found in a wooded area near the Anthony family home.
- 2010Long Island Serial Killer VictimsA police officer searching for missing woman Shannan Gilbert finds human remains along Ocean Parkway near…
- 2010Shannan GilbertSearch for Shannan leads to discovery of Gilgo Beach victims.
- 2017Dena Ann DeanThe Tulsa County Sheriff's Office Cold Case Task Force serves a DNA search warrant in Arkansas.
- 2017Savanna LaFontaine-GreywindBrooke Crews pleads guilty to conspiracy to commit murder, conspiracy to commit kidnapping, and giving false…
- 2017Suzanne BombardierAntioch police arrest Bacom, 63.
- 2019Tammy DaybellHer body is exhumed for an autopsy after the sheriff's office deems the death suspicious.
December 12
- 1954Daniel BarterDaniel Barter is born.
- 1985Wayne Nance VictimsMichael and Teresa Shook are killed at their home in Ravalli County; their three children survive.
- 1988Tsutomu Miyazaki VictimsErika Namba, 4, is abducted.
- 2002Yosemite Sightseer MurdersStayner is sentenced to death.
- 2006Peter & Joan PorcoHe is sentenced to 50 years to life.
- 2009Steven KoecherHis phone pings near Overton, Nevada; he buys gas in Mesquite and purchases Christmas gifts at a Kmart near…
- 2017Dena Ann DeanInvestigators obtain an electronics search warrant in Creek County.
- 2018Ashley Loring HeavyRunnerKimberly Loring testifies before the U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs about her sister's case and the…
- 2022Lamar Johnson (Exoneration)An evidentiary hearing begins before Judge David Mason; Elking recants and James Howard testifies that he…
- 2023Theresa CorleyThe Boston Globe reports the case remains unsolved after 45 years; the Norfolk County District Attorney's…
- 2024Duran BaileyA federal jury awards Lobato $34 million in her civil suit against Las Vegas police.
December 13
- 1990Charles Albright VictimsMary Lou Pratt is found shot dead in southern Dallas.
- 2005Peter FalconioThe jury finds Murdoch guilty of murder and of assaulting and attempting to kidnap Lees; he is sentenced to…
- 2011Shannan GilbertShannan's body found in a marsh near Oak Beach.
- 2014Jennifer PanJennifer Pan and four co-conspirators convicted of first-degree murder.
- 2021Lauren Smith-FieldsHer mother learns of the death from the landlord after going to the apartment, according to her later…
- 2023Alex Batty (found)A delivery driver finds Alex walking on a road in south-western France and takes him to police.
- 2023Susan NegersmithThe New Jersey Supreme Court upholds that ruling; the charge against Rosado cannot proceed.
December 14
- 1935Thelma ToddTodd attends a Saturday night party at the Trocadero in Hollywood.
- 1964Frank MorrisFrank Morris dies of his burns at Concordia Parish Hospital, four days after the fire, having told FBI…
- 1990Laura BradburyThe sheriff's department announces DNA results showing a greater than 99 percent probability that the…
- 2010Tina SmithEasley waives extradition in a San Francisco court.
- 2012Cornelia CrilleyAlcala pleads guilty to both New York murders.
- 2022Natalie McNallyMcCullagh records the gaming video later broadcast as if live, according to police evidence.
December 15
- 1935Thelma ToddHer chauffeur drops her off near her Pacific Palisades apartment at about 4 a.m.
- 1946Paula Jean WeldenFBI joins the investigation at the family's request.
- 1970Isdal WomanInternational investigation begins; Interpol is contacted.
- 1983Kellie PoppletonUPI reports the 13-year-old has been charged while charges against the three others have been dropped amid…
- 2004Bobbie Jo StinnettLisa Montgomery, posing online as 'Darlene Fischer,' arranges via instant message to visit Bobbie Jo…
- 2017Colonial Parkway MurdersAlan Wade Wilmer Sr., a Virginia commercial fisherman later named as a suspect, dies without having been…
- 2020Dana Lynn Dodd (Lavender Doe)Burnette pleads guilty in the 188th District Court to both murders and a sex offender registration charge…
- 2021George FloydChauvin pleads guilty to a federal charge of depriving George Floyd of his civil rights.
- 2022Idaho Student MurdersPolice publicly seek information on a white Hyundai Elantra seen near the residence, reviewing tens of…
- 2025Ana WalsheA Norfolk County jury finds Brian Walshe guilty of first-degree murder after about six hours of deliberation.
December 16
- 1938Jimmie Lee JacksonJimmie Lee Jackson is born in Marion, Alabama.
- 1989Jacob WetterlingThe FBI questions Danny Heinrich and takes evidence, but he is released without being charged.
- 2004Mary Lou MorrisHarris County Sheriff's investigators say they have no link between the two cases; a reward fund doubles the…
- 2008Adam WalshHollywood Police Chief Chad Wagner announces the case is administratively closed, naming Ottis Toole as the…
- 2014Betty June Binnicker & Mary Emma ThamesJudge Mullen vacates the conviction, citing violations of Stinney's constitutional rights.
- 2015Freddie GrayOfficer William Porter's trial ends in a mistrial after the jury deadlocks.
- 2023Alex Batty (found)Alex flies from Toulouse back to the United Kingdom.
- 2025Diane Downs ChildrenThe Oregon parole board denies parole; she may not petition again until 2031.
December 17
- 2003Holly Wells & Jessica ChapmanHuntley convicted; sentenced to minimum 40 years.
- 2004Bobbie Jo StinnettInvestigators trace the online contact to Montgomery, arrest her in Melvern, Kansas, and recover the…
- 2007Megan KankaNew Jersey abolishes the death penalty; Timmendequas's sentence becomes life imprisonment without parole.
- 2007The Notorious B.I.G. (Christopher Wallace)A federal judge grants summary judgment against the family's suit on procedural grounds; further refiled…
- 2009Steven KoecherThe homeowners' association notices the abandoned car; flyers inside lead to his employer and family, and…
- 2012Robert Pickton VictimsThe public inquiry into the missing women investigations releases its findings.
- 2018William 'Billy' Jones Jr.New Jersey 101.5 reports the case is still unsolved 56 years on.
- 2019Erica ParsonsSandy Parsons pleads guilty to second-degree murder and related charges and is sentenced to a minimum of…
- 2019Nikki KuhnhausenDavid Bogdanov is arrested.
- 2020Savannah SpurlockSparks is sentenced to 50 years in prison, with parole eligibility after 20 years.
- 2024Long Island Serial Killer VictimsAn indictment charging Heuermann with the murder of Valerie Mack is unsealed, bringing the total to seven…
- 2024Madeline KingsburyFravel is sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
- 2024Valerie MackHeuermann is charged with Mack's murder and pleads not guilty.
December 18
- 1935Thelma ToddA coroner's jury finds the death appears accidental and recommends further investigation.
- 1953Bobby GreenleaseHall and Heady are executed in the gas chamber at the Missouri State Penitentiary.
- 1995Shari SmithThe U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit affirms denial of Bell's habeas petition.
- 2003Green River Killer VictimsRidgway is sentenced to 48 consecutive life sentences without parole, plus additional time for evidence…
- 2007Natalee HollowayAruban prosecutors close the case without charging anyone.
- 2009Gabriel JohnsonElizabeth Johnson takes eight-month-old Gabriel from Tempe, Arizona, and drives east in her grandfather's…
- 2014Melissa JenkinsAllen Prue is sentenced to 50 years to life for murder, plus a life term for attempted kidnapping and…
- 2015Teresa HalbachNetflix releases the documentary series 'Making a Murderer,' generating widespread debate over the evidence…
- 2020Grace MillaneThe Court of Appeal dismisses the appeal against conviction and sentence.
- 2023Ruby Franke ChildrenFranke pleads guilty to four counts of aggravated child abuse.
- 2025Ana WalsheBrian Walshe is sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, with additional consecutive…
- 2025Olof PalmeDirector of public prosecutions Lennart Guné states it was wrong to name Stig Engström as the killer for…
- 2025Tanya Jackson ("Peaches")Dykes is arraigned in Nassau County, pleads not guilty and is held without bail; he is not charged in…
December 19
- 1968Barbara Jane MackleA first ransom delivery in Florida fails; a second attempt succeeds, according to Time magazine.
- 1987Barbara BlatnikBarbara Blatnik is dropped off by a friend around midnight at Warner Road and Grand Division in Garfield…
- 2008Caylee AnthonyAuthorities confirm the remains are those of Caylee Anthony.
- 2011Phoenix ColdonHer parents report her missing to the St. Louis County Police Department.
- 2017Duran BaileyJudge Miley grants the habeas petition and orders a new trial.
- 2018Michelle MartinkoBurns is arrested, 39 years to the day after the murder, after his DNA matches from a discarded straw.
- 2018Sierah Joughin'Sierah's Law' signed, creating violent offender database.
- 2022Natalie McNallyPolice are called to Silverwood Green and find her body.
- 2023Rachel Lucille CyriacksAttorney General Marty Jackley announces a reward of up to $25,000 for information leading to arrest and…
- 2025Breonna TaylorThe Sixth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals orders Brett Hankison released from federal prison on his own…
- 2025Jam Master JayJudge LaShann DeArcy Hall acquits Jordan and upholds Washington's conviction.
- 2025Leigh MatthewsThe Department of Correctional Services announces that the minister has refused parole.
December 20
- 1920Nell CropseyGovernor Thomas Bickett pardons Wilcox (some sources give 1918).
- 1968Barbara Jane MackleAfter a call from the kidnappers, FBI agents locate the burial site and rescue Mackle alive.
- 1968Bryan Hartnell & Cecelia ShepardTwo teenagers are shot on Lake Herman Road, the first attack later listed on Hartnell's car door.
- 2018Blake and Mary Jo HadleyAt resentencing, a St. Lucie County judge again imposes life sentences.
- 2022Lina Sardar KhilPolice release surveillance video showing Lina at the playground before she disappeared.
- 2023Brianna GheyThe jury convicts both defendants of murder.
- 2023Carol StuartMayor Michelle Wu formally apologizes to Alan Swanson, Willie Bennett and their families.
- 2024Abigail Williams & Liberty GermanAllen is sentenced to 130 years in prison (65 years per victim, served consecutively).
December 21
- 1954Marilyn SheppardAfter a nine-week trial marked by intense publicity, Sheppard is convicted of second-degree murder and…
- 1978John Wayne Gacy VictimsGacy is arrested after police investigate Piest's disappearance.
- 2002Brian CarrickHis mother is told he did not arrive for work; searches begin.
- 2005Jacqueline MartarellaKogut is found not guilty of Fusco's murder at a bench retrial; charges against Restivo and Halstead are…
- 2007Shawn HornbeckDevlin is sentenced in federal court to 170 years.
- 2010Green River Killer VictimsThe remains of Rebecca Marrero are identified, leading to Ridgway's guilty plea to a 49th murder.
- 2015Sandra BlandA Waller County grand jury declines to indict jail officials or staff in connection with Bland's death.
- 2018April TinsleyMiller, having pleaded guilty to murder and child molestation, is sentenced to 80 years in prison.
- 2018Kelsey BerrethPatrick Frazee is arrested and charged with first-degree murder.
- 2018Todd Kohlhepp VictimsSuperbike victims' families confront Kohlhepp at an emotional court hearing.
- 2022Patrick Warren Sr.Bobbie Warren files a federal civil rights and wrongful death lawsuit in the Western District of Texas.
- 2023Amina and Sarah SaidA Texas court of appeals issues its opinion in his appeal, reported as affirming the conviction.
December 22
- 1971Robert Hansen VictimsCelia van Zanten, believed to be Hansen's first victim, is abducted in Anchorage and later found frozen to…
- 1976Oakland County Child Killer VictimsJill Robinson, 12, disappears from Royal Oak.
- 1978John Wayne Gacy VictimsGacy confesses; investigators begin recovering human remains from the crawl space beneath his house.
- 2004Joe AndrianoShe is sentenced to death (date per ABC15).
- 2009Gabriel JohnsonJohnson and Gabriel arrive in San Antonio, Texas.
- 2020Grace MillaneName suppression lapses and Jesse Shane Kempson is publicly named in New Zealand.
- 2021Aundria BowmanBowman pleads no contest to second-degree murder in Aundria's death.
- 2023Alex Batty (found)Greater Manchester Police announce a criminal investigation into alleged child abduction.
December 23
- 1971Jimmy HoffaPresident Richard Nixon commutes Hoffa's sentence, releasing him from prison.
- 1997Oklahoma City Bombing VictimsTerry Nichols is convicted in federal court of conspiracy and involuntary manslaughter.
- 2012Herman TarnowerJean Harris dies in New Haven, Connecticut, at age 89.
- 2014Jun LinConvicted of first-degree murder.
- 2024Fort Worth Missing TrioFiftieth anniversary of the disappearance; NCMEC renews its appeal for information.
December 24
- 1885The Servant Girl Annihilator (Austin Axe Murders)Susan Hancock and Eula Phillips are murdered in separate Christmas Eve attacks; the killings then stop.
- 1974Fort Worth Missing TrioA letter signed with Rachel's name, saying the girls were going to Houston, arrives at the Trlica home.
- 1984Janet Lee Lucas (formerly "Christy Crystal Creek")The body of another unidentified young woman, later identified as Marcella Bachmann, is found in the nearby…
- 1992Susan Lund ("Ina Jane Doe")Susan Lund is last seen by her family in Clarksville, Tennessee, after leaving her home.
- 2009Susan PowellWest Valley City police name Josh Powell a person of interest in his wife's disappearance.
- 2024Damon Eugene BluthenthalDamon Bluthenthal, 50, goes missing from his San Pedro home; family files a missing persons report with the…
December 25
- 1945Sodder ChildrenFire department searches the rubble; no human remains are found.
- 1975Sumter County Does (Pamela Buckley & James Freund)James Paul Freund, 29, is last seen in Lancaster, Pennsylvania; his family reports him missing.
- 1976Anthonette Christine CayeditoAnthonette Christine Cayedito is born (per Wikipedia).
- 1980Clifford Olson VictimsChristine Weller's body is found in Richmond.
- 1991Dana IrelandIreland dies of her injuries at Hilo Medical Center.
- 2007Amina and Sarah SaidAccording to ABC News, the sisters and their mother leave the Dallas area for Oklahoma.
- 2024Brandon LawsonHis family announces that DNA testing has confirmed the remains are Brandon Lawson's.
December 26
- 1964Moors Murders VictimsLesley Ann Downey, 10, is abducted.
- 1976Oakland County Child Killer VictimsJill Robinson's body is found along Interstate 75 in Troy.
- 1978Sara Ann Lewis TrustySara Ann Lewis Trusty is born, according to a memorial listing.
- 2010Lori Erica RuffIn-laws discover lockbox with evidence of stolen identity.
- 2017Cassie Jo StoddartThe Idaho Supreme Court affirms dismissal of Adamcik's post-conviction petition.
December 27
- 1901Nell CropseyHer body is found in the Pasquotank River near the family home; Wilcox is charged with murder.
- 1959Margaret Fetterolf (Woodlawn Jane Doe)Margaret Fetterolf is born; she later lives in Alexandria, Virginia, and attends Hayfield Secondary School.
- 1988Mr. Cruel VictimsA 10-year-old girl is abducted from her home in Ringwood and released about 18 hours later at Bayswater High…
- 2021Vanessa Guillen'I Am Vanessa Guillen Act' signed into law.
- 2023Ruby Franke ChildrenHildebrandt pleads guilty to four counts of aggravated child abuse.
December 28
- 1964Blair AdamsRobert Dennis Blair Adams is born in Surrey, British Columbia.
- 1968Barbara Jane MackleRuth Eisemann-Schier is added to the FBI Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list.
- 1986Cara KnottKnott's abandoned car is found near the offramp, and her body is discovered in the ravine below a bridge.
- 1988Robert Lee Yates VictimsRemains of Stacy Hawn, 23, are found in Skagit County.
- 1989Carol StuartCharles Stuart identifies Bennett as the attacker at a police line-up.
- 2015Tamir RiceA Cuyahoga County grand jury declines to indict officers Loehmann and Garmback; prosecutor Timothy McGinty…
- 2017Recy TaylorRecy Taylor dies in Abbeville at age 97.
- 2021RJR Maintenance MurdersJudge David Reich sentences Isaak to four consecutive life terms without parole.
- 2021Timothy WiltseyThe New Jersey Supreme Court vacates the conviction 4-3 and enters an acquittal; Lodzinski is released.
- 2023Dee Dee BlanchardGypsy Rose Blanchard is released from prison.
December 29
- 1956Barbara & Patricia GrimesA large-scale search begins across Chicago.
- 1992Herman TarnowerGovernor Mario Cuomo commutes Harris's sentence.
- 1999Lauria Bible and Ashley FreemanLauria Bible stays overnight at the Freeman home near Welch, Oklahoma, on Ashley Freeman's 16th birthday.
- 2011New Britain Jane DoeNew Britain police release a 3D facial reconstruction produced by the FBI's Visual Arts Unit in Quantico…
- 2017Duran BaileyConvictions are vacated and charges dismissed on the district attorney's motion.
- 2020Tamir RiceThe U.S. Department of Justice closes its federal civil-rights investigation without charges, citing…
- 2021Miya MarcanoThe Orange County Medical Examiner rules Marcano's death a homicide by undetermined means.
- 2022Kelsey BerrethThe Colorado Court of Appeals upholds Frazee's conviction.
- 2022Sandra BirchmoreBirchmore's estate files a wrongful death lawsuit against Farwell, his brother, a supervisor and the town of…
December 30
- 1884The Servant Girl Annihilator (Austin Axe Murders)Mollie Smith, a Black servant, is found murdered, the first victim of the spree.
- 1977FSU Chi Omega MurdersBundy escapes from jail in Glenwood Springs, Colorado.
- 1977Ted Bundy VictimsBundy escapes a second time, from the Garfield County jail in Colorado, and flees to Florida.
- 2008Darnell Donerson, Jason Hudson & Julian KingA grand jury indicts Balfour on the murder and related charges.
- 2009Gabriel JohnsonJohnson is located in Miami, Florida, and arrested; she recants and says she gave Gabriel to a couple in a…
- 2012DeOrr Kunz Jr.DeOrr Jay Kunz Jr. is born.
- 2013Frank MorrisThe Justice Department formally closes the case, citing insufficient evidence, deceased suspects, and…
- 2022Idaho Student MurdersBryan Kohberger, a criminology PhD student at Washington State University, is arrested in Monroe County…
- 2024Jorge Torres Jr.Boone is transferred to the Florida Department of Corrections.
December 31
- 1919Recy TaylorRecy Taylor is born.
- 1978Oakland County Child Killer VictimsThe multi-agency task force disbands; the Michigan State Police retains the open case.
- 2007Amina and Sarah SaidThe family returns to the Dallas area, per ABC News.
- 2021Harmony MontgomeryManchester police publicly announce that they are searching for Harmony.