October in Cold Case History
71 documented cases began in October, listed by the day of the incident or disappearance (for a series, the first incident). 33 are still unsolved. Further down, 267 other dated developments recorded in October: arrests, verdicts, identifications and discoveries. For today's date, see on this day.
October 1
- 1993Polly KlaasConvictionTwelve-year-old Polly Klaas was kidnapped at knifepoint from a slumber party at her Petaluma home and murdered.
- 2012April JonesConvictionMark Bridger was convicted on 30 May 2013 of abducting and murdering five-year-old April Jones, who was taken from the…
October 2
- 1966Nancy Leichner & Pamela NaterPartially SolvedNancy Leichner, 21, and Pamela Nater, 20, vanished on October 2, 1966, during a skin-diving club picnic at Alexander Springs in…
- 1985Sheree WarrenUnsolvedSheree Warren, a 25-year-old credit union employee and mother from Roy, Utah, vanished on October 2, 1985, after leaving her…
- 2018Jamal KhashoggiConvictionSaudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi was killed and dismembered inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul by a team of Saudi agents.
- 2018Kierra ColesUnsolvedKierra Coles, a 26-year-old U.S. Postal Service mail carrier who was about three months pregnant, vanished from Chicago's South…
October 3
- 2024Zelig WilliamsUnsolvedZelig Williams, a 28-year-old Broadway dancer who performed in Hamilton and MJ: The Musical, vanished on October 3, 2024…
October 4
- 2011
- 2013Avonte OquendoUnsolvedFourteen-year-old Avonte Oquendo, a nonverbal autistic student, walked out of his Long Island City, Queens, school on October 4…
October 5
- 1980Tammy TerrellIdentifiedThe body of a teenage girl found in the desert in Henderson, Nevada, on October 5, 1980, was identified in 2021 as Tammy…
- 2012Jessica RidgewayConvictionTen-year-old Jessica Ridgeway was abducted while walking to school in Westminster, Colorado, on October 5, 2012.
October 6
- 1971Katherine Ann Alston (Bedford Jane Doe)UnsolvedOn October 6, 1971, the decomposing body of a young woman was found off a logging road in a wooded area of Bedford, New Hampshire.
- 2002Shawn HornbeckConvictionEleven-year-old Shawn Hornbeck was abducted on October 6, 2002, while riding his bike near Richwoods, Missouri, and was found…
October 7
- 2017Sherin MathewsConvictionThree-year-old Sherin Mathews, adopted from India in 2016, was reported missing from her Richardson, Texas, home on October 7…
October 8
- 1976Teresa "Trenny" Lynn GibsonUnsolvedTrenny Lynn Gibson, a 16-year-old Bearden High School student from Knoxville, Tennessee, vanished during a class field trip in…
- 2000Joe AndrianoConvictionJoe Andriano, who was terminally ill with cancer, was killed in his Phoenix apartment on October 8, 2000.
- 2009Jamison FamilyUnsolvedBobby Jamison, 44, his wife Sherilynn, 40, and their six-year-old daughter Madyson vanished on October 8, 2009, after traveling…
- 2017Alex Batty (found)SolvedAlex Batty of Oldham, England, was 11 when he failed to return from a holiday in Spain with his mother and grandfather in…
October 9
- 1985Sarah PryorUnsolvedNine-year-old Sarah Pryor vanished during an afternoon walk near her Wayland, Massachusetts home in October 1985.
- 2013Abigail HernandezConvictionFourteen-year-old Abby Hernandez disappeared while walking home from school in Conway, New Hampshire.
October 10
- 2014Rico HarrisUnsolvedRico Harris, a 37-year-old former Harlem Globetrotter driving from Los Angeles to Seattle to start a new life, vanished in…
October 11
- 1969Paul StineUnsolvedCab driver and graduate student Paul Lee Stine, 29, was shot in the head by a passenger at Washington and Cherry streets in San…
- 1991New Britain Jane DoeUnsolvedOn October 11, 1991, a survey crew found the badly decomposed body of a woman in garbage bags near railroad tracks off Myrtle…
- 1993Stephanie CraneUnsolvedStephanie Lyn Crane, 9, vanished on October 11, 1993, after leaving a bowling alley in the small town of Challis, Idaho.
- 2001Thomas C. WalesUnsolvedAssistant U.S. Attorney Thomas C. Wales, 49, was shot through a basement window of his Seattle home on the night of October 11…
- 2014Jennifer LaudeConvictionTransgender Filipina Jennifer Laude was murdered by U.S. Marine Joseph Scott Pemberton in a motel in Olongapo.
October 12
- 1964Mary Pinchot MeyerUnsolvedArtist Mary Pinchot Meyer, 43, was shot twice and killed while walking on the C&O Canal towpath in Georgetown, Washington, D.C.…
- 1982Linda Lee MackUnsolvedLinda Lee Mack, a 35-year-old hospital nurse, was killed on the night of October 12, 1982, after leaving work and driving home…
- 2000Mary Lou MorrisUnsolvedMary Lou Henderson Morris, 48, was found dead in her burned car near her Baytown, Texas, home on October 12, 2000.
October 13
- 1974Arlis PerrySolvedArlis Perry, 19, was found murdered inside Stanford Memorial Church on October 13, 1974.
- 1984Angela SamotaConvictionAngela Samota, a 20-year-old Southern Methodist University student, was raped and stabbed to death in her Dallas home in the…
- 2018Karlie GuséUnsolvedSixteen-year-old Karlie Lain Gusé disappeared from her family's home in Chalfant, Mono County, California, early on October 13…
October 14
- 1965Mary Shotwell LittleUnsolvedMary Shotwell Little, a 25-year-old newlywed bank secretary, vanished on October 14, 1965, from the Lenox Square shopping center…
- 2003Terrance Williams & Felipe SantosUnsolvedFelipe Santos, 23, and Terrance Williams, 27, vanished three months apart in North Naples, Florida, on October 14, 2003, and…
- 2021Elijah LewisConvictionFive-year-old Elijah Lewis of Merrimack, New Hampshire, was reported missing on October 14, 2021, and his remains were found…
October 15
- 1985Steve Christensen & Kathy SheetsConvictionSteven Christensen and Kathleen Sheets were killed by package pipe bombs in the Salt Lake City area on October 15, 1985.
- 1992Andrei Chikatilo VictimsConvictionAndrei Chikatilo, a former schoolteacher, was found guilty by a court in Rostov-on-Don in October 1992 of murdering 52 women and…
- 2018Jayme ClossConvictionThirteen-year-old Jayme Closs was kidnapped after her parents were murdered in Barron, Wisconsin. She escaped 88 days later.
October 16
- 2021Cleo SmithConvictionFour-year-old Cleo Smith was taken from her family's tent at the Blowholes campsite north of Carnarvon, Western Australia, on…
October 17
- 2009Morgan HarringtonConvictionVirginia Tech student Morgan Harrington, 20, disappeared on October 17, 2009, after leaving a Metallica concert at John Paul…
October 18
- 1949Dorothy ForsteinUnsolvedDorothy Forstein, the wife of Philadelphia magistrate Jules Forstein, disappeared from her home on the night of October 18, 1949.
- 1984Laura BradburyUnsolvedThree-year-old Laura Bradbury of Huntington Beach vanished from her family's campsite at Indian Cove Campground in Joshua Tree…
October 19
- 2019Tammy DaybellConvictionTammy Daybell died at her home in Salem, Idaho on October 19, 2019. A coroner ruled the death natural without an autopsy, but…
October 20
- 2003Cecilia ZhangConvictionNine-year-old Cecilia Zhang was taken from her family's Toronto home overnight on October 19-20, 2003, and her remains were…
- 2014Laquan McDonaldConvictionSeventeen-year-old Laquan McDonald was shot 16 times by Chicago police officer Jason Van Dyke on October 20, 2014.
October 21
- 2021Halyna Hutchins (Rust trial)ConvictionCinematographer Halyna Hutchins, 42, was fatally shot on the set of the film Rust near Santa Fe on October 21, 2021, when a…
October 22
- 1989Jacob WetterlingSolvedEleven-year-old Jacob Wetterling was abducted at gunpoint near his home in St. Joseph, Minnesota, on October 22, 1989.
- 1997Levi FradyUnsolvedLevi Frady, an 11-year-old boy, disappeared while riding his bike home in Forsyth County, Georgia, in 1997 and was found shot to…
- 2005Tara GrinsteadPartially SolvedTara Grinstead, a 30-year-old high school history teacher and former beauty queen, vanished from her home in Ocilla, Georgia, in…
October 23
- 1989Carol StuartSolvedCarol Stuart, 30 and pregnant, was shot in a car in Boston's Mission Hill on October 23, 1989 and died the next morning; her…
- 2015Connie RidgewayUnsolvedConnie Ridgeway, 59, was found stabbed to death in her Rogersville, Alabama, apartment on October 23, 2015.
- 2019Aniah BlanchardConvictionNineteen-year-old Aniah Blanchard, stepdaughter of UFC fighter Walt Harris, disappeared from Auburn, Alabama, in October 2019.
October 24
- 1953Evelyn HartleyUnsolvedFifteen-year-old babysitter Evelyn Hartley was abducted from a La Crosse, Wisconsin home while watching a professor's daughter.
- 1961Joan RischUnsolvedJoan Risch vanished from her Lincoln, Massachusetts home, leaving behind a trail of blood and signs of a violent struggle.
- 2008Darnell Donerson, Jason Hudson & Julian KingConvictionActress Jennifer Hudson's mother Darnell Donerson and brother Jason Hudson were shot to death in their Chicago home on October…
- 2011Garrett PhillipsUnsolvedTwelve-year-old Garrett Phillips was found strangled in his apartment in Potsdam, New York, on October 24, 2011.
- 2015Ebby Jane SteppachUnsolvedEbby Steppach, 18, vanished in Little Rock, Arkansas, in late October 2015, days after telling her stepfather she had been…
October 25
- 1994Michael & Alex SmithConvictionMichael Smith, 3, and his brother Alex, 14 months, drowned on October 25, 1994 when their mother, Susan Smith, let her car roll…
October 27
- 1989Amy MihaljevicUnsolvedTen-year-old Amy Mihaljevic was lured from a Bay Village, Ohio, shopping center on October 27, 1989, and abducted; her body was…
October 28
- 2007Stacy PetersonUnsolvedStacy Peterson, 23, disappeared from her home in Bolingbrook, Illinois, on October 28, 2007.
October 29
- 2006Dana Lynn Dodd (Lavender Doe)ConvictionOn October 29, 2006, the burning body of an unidentified young woman was found on an oil lease near Kilgore, Texas; she became…
- 2022Shanquella RobinsonUnsolvedShanquella Robinson, 25, of Charlotte, North Carolina, died on October 29, 2022, at a rental villa in San José del Cabo, Mexico…
October 30
- 1966Cheri Jo BatesUnsolvedCheri Jo Bates, 18, a Riverside City College freshman, was stabbed to death near the campus library on the night of October 30…
- 1975Martha MoxleyNo ConvictionFifteen-year-old Martha Moxley was beaten to death with a golf club in Greenwich, Connecticut, in 1975.
- 1994Lamar Johnson (Exoneration)Partially SolvedMarkus Boyd was shot dead by two masked men on his St. Louis porch on October 30, 1994.
- 2002Jam Master JayConvictionJason Mizell, the Run-DMC DJ known as Jam Master Jay, was shot dead in his recording studio in Jamaica, Queens, on October 30…
- 2011Karen SwiftNo ConvictionKaren Swift, a 44-year-old Dyersburg, Tennessee mother of four, vanished after a Halloween party in late October 2011 and was…
- 2018Whitey Bulger (death)ConvictionNotorious Boston mob boss and longtime FBI informant Whitey Bulger, 89, was beaten to death hours after arriving at USP Hazelton…
October 31
- 1955Steven DammanUnsolvedTwo-year-old Steven Damman disappeared on October 31, 1955, after his mother left him and his baby sister in a stroller outside…
- 1979Debra Jackson ("Orange Socks")IdentifiedA young woman's body was found in a culvert off Interstate 35 near Georgetown, Texas, on Halloween 1979, wearing nothing but a…
- 2005Teresa HalbachConvictionFreelance photographer Teresa Halbach disappeared after photographing a vehicle at the Avery Salvage Yard.
Other developments recorded in October
Show 267 dated developments
October 1
- 1971The Freeway PhantomNenomoshia Yates, 12, is abducted and murdered, her body left in Prince George's County.
- 2000Amber HagermanA U.S. House resolution encourages nationwide implementation of AMBER Alert programs.
- 2004Lori HackingLori Hacking's remains are found at the Salt Lake County landfill.
- 2009Night Stalker VictimsDNA evidence links Ramirez to the 1984 murder of Mei Leung, identifying it as his earliest known killing.
- 2011John Wayne Gacy VictimsSheriff Tom Dart reopens the effort to identify Gacy's unnamed victims; William Bundy is identified within…
- 2013Jessica RidgewaySigg pleads guilty in Jefferson County District Court to all counts, including first-degree murder…
- 2014Jordan DavisRetrial jury finds Michael Dunn guilty of the first-degree murder of Jordan Davis.
- 2014Lauren SpiererA federal judge dismisses the remaining civil negligence claims against Corey Rossman and Jason (Jay)…
- 2014Rui PedroAfonso Dias's kidnapping conviction and three-year sentence become final (first-instance acquittal was in…
- 2016Terri 'Missy' BeversThe reward for information in the case is increased to $50,000.
- 2017Nicole Brown Simpson & Ron GoldmanSimpson is released from prison on parole.
- 2018Jessica ChambersJudge Chatham declares a second mistrial; defense attorney Darla Palmer reports the jury was split 6-6.
- 2019Botham JeanThe jury finds Guyger guilty of murder.
- 2021David Carrick VictimsA woman reports a rape allegation against Carrick to police.
- 2021Gloria SatterfieldInsurance fraud exposed; death reclassified.
- 2024Botham JeanGuyger is denied parole after her first parole review.
- 2024Leigh Marine OcchiVickie Felton files a petition in Lee County Chancery Court to have Leigh declared legally dead; father…
- 2024Morgan NickAuthorities announce new DNA evidence strongly indicating Morgan had been inside Lincks's red truck, naming…
October 2
- 2012April JonesPolice enter Mark Bridger's cottage in Ceinws and arrest him on suspicion of abduction.
- 2013Jessica DishonHer uncle, Stanley Dishon, is arrested and charged with murder after two inmates come forward.
- 2015Hannah GrahamMatthew is sentenced to three life terms in the Fairfax case.
- 2017Ingrid LyneCharlton pleads guilty to first-degree murder in King County Superior Court.
- 2018Jermain CharloPolice seize firearms from DeFrance's property; he is later federally prosecuted for unlawful firearm…
- 2019Botham JeanGuyger is sentenced to 10 years in prison; Brandt Jean embraces her in a widely publicized courtroom moment…
- 2020Joel & Lisa Guy Sr.A jury convicts Guy Jr. of first-degree murder, felony murder and abuse of a corpse; he receives two…
- 2021Miya MarcanoAfter an eight-day search, a body later confirmed as Marcano is found near the abandoned Tymber Skan…
- 2024Roy Allen TsatokeThe California Highway Patrol issues a Feather Alert for Tsatoke, nine days after he was reported missing…
- 2024Sherri RasmussenThe full parole board rescinds the parole grant after the governor requested review.
- 2026Peter Nygard VictimsScheduled return to court in Montreal for a joint sentencing recommendation.
October 3
- 1979Frank HilleyFrank Hilley's body is exhumed; testing finds elevated arsenic levels.
- 1984Tristan BrübachTristan Brübach is born, according to German Wikipedia.
- 1985Sheree WarrenWarren's mother reports her missing after she fails to return home to her three-year-old son.
- 1988Tsutomu Miyazaki VictimsMasami Yoshizawa, 7, is abducted.
- 1995Fred & Rose West VictimsRose West's trial opens at Winchester Crown Court.
- 1995Nicole Brown Simpson & Ron GoldmanThe jury acquits Simpson on both counts.
- 2002Robert Lee Yates VictimsYates is sentenced to death.
- 2008Nicole Brown Simpson & Ron GoldmanSimpson is convicted of robbery and kidnapping in an unrelated Las Vegas case.
- 2011Lisa IrwinDeborah Bradley says she last checked on 10-month-old Lisa in her crib during the evening.
- 2011Meredith KercherAn appeal court acquits Knox and Sollecito; both are released.
- 2014Hae Min LeeThe podcast 'Serial' debuts, drawing global attention to the case and its evidentiary questions.
- 2021David Carrick VictimsCarrick is arrested and charged; publicity leads other women to come forward.
- 2024Heather ElvisSouth Carolina Supreme Court declines to review Tammy Moorer's case; Sidney Moorer's petition had been…
- 2024Tyre NicholsFederal jury convicts Haley on all counts and Bean and Smith of witness tampering only.
- 2025Michael & Alex SmithSmith is found guilty of a prison disciplinary charge for communicating with a documentary filmmaker…
- 2025Zelig WilliamsOne year after the disappearance, no confirmed trace of Williams has been found and the sheriff's department…
October 4
- 1984Wah Mee Club MassacreTony Ng is arrested in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, and later extradited to Washington.
- 1996Shari SmithBell is executed by electrocution in South Carolina.
- 2004Leigh MatthewsPolice arrest Donovan Moodley, 24.
- 2024Zelig WilliamsWilliams is reported missing; around 11 p.m., a Richland County sheriff's deputy finds his undamaged SUV…
October 5
- 1982Chicago Tylenol Murders VictimsJohnson & Johnson issues a nationwide recall of about 31 million bottles of Tylenol capsules.
- 2012April JonesBridger is arrested on suspicion of murder after April's blood is identified in the cottage.
- 2017Kara KopetskyMurder charges are filed against Yust in both deaths.
- 2018Laquan McDonaldA jury convicts Van Dyke of second-degree murder and 16 counts of aggravated battery with a firearm; he is…
- 2018Tamir RiceLoehmann is hired as a part-time officer in Bellaire, Ohio, but withdraws days later amid public opposition.
- 2020Oscar GrantAlameda County DA Nancy O'Malley reopens the investigation, focusing on officer Anthony Pirone's role.
October 6
- 1953Bobby GreenleaseHall and Heady are arrested in St. Louis.
- 1983Wah Mee Club MassacreWillie Mak is convicted of aggravated first-degree murder and assault.
- 1985Sheree WarrenAn elk hunting guide reports encountering Cary Hartmann trespassing near Causey Reservoir, east of Ogden…
- 2006Duran BaileyA second jury convicts Lobato of voluntary manslaughter and sexual penetration of a dead body; sentence 13…
- 2017Pamela ButlerHe pleads guilty to second-degree murder and is sentenced to 12 years, conditioned on helping find her…
- 2023Darlene HulseThe Deck Investigates reports that Hulse's family has launched a petition seeking further DNA testing and…
- 2026Annecy Knife AttackThe investigation chamber of the Chambéry Court of Appeal upholds the referral of the suspect to the…
- 2026Sandra BirchmoreJury selection begins in federal court in Boston before Chief Judge Denise J. Casper.
October 7
- 1953Bobby GreenleaseThe boy's body is recovered from the yard of Heady's home in St. Joseph, Missouri.
- 2000Joe AndrianoThe Andrianos attend a barbecue and return to their Phoenix apartment around midnight.
- 2012Jessica RidgewayJessica's backpack, water bottle, and eyeglasses are found in Superior, Colorado, about six miles from her…
- 2013Gary and Linda HaasA federal jury convicts McCluskey; it later fails to agree on a death sentence.
- 2019Savanna LaFontaine-GreywindWilliam Hoehn is resentenced to 20 years in prison after the North Dakota Supreme Court overturned his…
- 2022Moors Murders VictimsGreater Manchester Police end a week-long search of Saddleworth Moor, having found no evidence of human…
October 8
- 2007Shawn HornbeckDevlin pleads guilty in Franklin County and is sentenced to life in prison for the Ownby kidnapping.
- 2012April JonesBridger appears at Aberystwyth Magistrates' Court and is remanded in custody.
- 2021Dylan RedwineMark Redwine is sentenced to 48 years in prison.
- 2022Angela SamotaBess dies on death row before an execution date is set.
- 2022Peter Tobin VictimsTobin dies at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, aged 76, a month after a fall in his cell.
- 2024Madeleine McCannA Braunschweig court acquits Brückner of five unrelated sexual offences (per Wikipedia).
- 2025Peter Nygard VictimsA Winnipeg provincial court judge stays sexual assault and unlawful confinement charges because 1993 police…
October 9
- 1976Teresa "Trenny" Lynn GibsonA large-scale search begins, eventually involving hundreds of searchers, tracking dogs, and helicopters.
- 2002Aileen Wuornos VictimsWuornos is executed by lethal injection at Florida State Prison near Starke at 9:47 a.m.
- 2007Shawn HornbeckDevlin pleads guilty in Washington County and St. Louis County, receiving three life sentences plus 60 years…
- 2019Dulce Maria AlavezThe reward for information reaches roughly $52,000, according to Wikipedia's account.
- 2019Tammy DaybellTammy Daybell reports to 911 that a masked man shot at her in her driveway.
- 2024Peter Tobin VictimsThe Fatal Accident Inquiry determination into Tobin's death in custody is published.
- 2026Sandra BirchmoreOpening statements; the trial is expected to last about five weeks.
October 10
- 1983Adam WalshThe TV movie 'Adam,' dramatizing the case, airs to an audience of tens of millions and helps publicize…
- 1983Texas Killing Fields VictimsHeide Marie Villarreal-Fye, 25, is last seen in League City, Texas.
- 2003Kathleen PetersonA jury convicts Peterson of first-degree murder; he is sentenced to life in prison without parole.
- 2006Nina ReiserHans Reiser is arrested on suspicion of murder.
- 2007Shawn HornbeckDevlin pleads guilty to all six federal counts.
- 2012Jessica RidgewayRemains later identified as Jessica are discovered in Pattridge Park Open Space near Arvada; the case is…
- 2020Florence OkpealukThree search dogs from the MAT+SAR K-9 team search the West Beach area over the weekend and find no evidence.
- 2020Savanna LaFontaine-GreywindSavanna's Act is signed into federal law, directing improved federal response and data collection on Missing…
- 2024Zelig WilliamsFamily organizes a community search party; no trace of Williams is found.
October 11
- 1969Zodiac Killer VictimsCab driver Paul Stine, 29, is shot and killed in the Presidio Heights neighborhood of San Francisco.
- 2021Thomas C. WalesRewards are raised to a combined $2.5 million and the case is returned to the Seattle U.S. Attorney's Office.
- 2022Connie RidgewayThe district attorney says the state will not seek the death penalty in the Ridgeway case; the trial is…
- 2022Hae Min LeeBaltimore prosecutors drop the remaining charges against Syed.
- 2023Bible John VictimsPolice Scotland says it is assessing claims made in a BBC podcast about the original investigation.
- 2023Mollie TibbettsThe Iowa Court of Appeals affirms the conviction.
October 12
- 1969Charles Manson VictimsAuthorities raid the Family's Barker Ranch hideout in Death Valley, leading to arrests of Manson and…
- 1974Arlis PerryArlis Perry goes alone to Stanford Memorial Church at about 11 p.m.; guard Stephen Crawford says he locked…
- 1982Adam WalshThe Missing Children Act of 1982 becomes law, allowing missing-child data to be entered into the FBI's…
- 1986Colonial Parkway MurdersCathleen Thomas, 27, and Rebecca Dowski, 21, are found dead in a car at a Colonial Parkway overlook near…
- 1993Stephanie CraneAbout 300 searchers, aircraft, dogs, and the FBI join a massive search that finds no trace of her.
- 2001Thomas C. WalesWales dies at a hospital.
- 2013Anjelica Castillo ("Baby Hope")Cousin Conrado Juarez is arrested and charged with the murder after confessing.
- 2018Bear Brook Murders (Allenstown Four)Citizen researcher Rebekah Heath submits a tip to law enforcement suggesting the victims are Marlyse…
- 2018Karlie GuséKarlie attends a house party instead of a high school football game, smokes marijuana, becomes frightened…
- 2020Sumter County Does (Pamela Buckley & James Freund)Genealogical test results on the victims' ancestral backgrounds are released as volunteer genealogists work…
- 2021Gabrielle PetitoTeton County coroner announces that Petito died by strangulation; manner of death homicide.
- 2022Sandy Hook VictimsA Connecticut jury awards $965 million to victims' relatives and an FBI agent in a defamation case against…
October 13
- 1969Bryan Hartnell & Cecelia ShepardA Zodiac letter claims responsibility for the killing of a San Francisco cab driver.
- 1969Paul StineA letter signed Zodiac, enclosing a piece of Stine's shirt, is mailed to the San Francisco Chronicle.
- 1998Robert Lee Yates VictimsConnie Ellis is found dead in Tacoma.
- 2020Jonelle MatthewsA grand jury indicts Pankey on charges including first-degree murder and kidnapping.
- 2026Skelton BrothersAt a pretrial hearing the judge grants a defense request for a 30- to 60-day adjournment to obtain and…
- 2026Tupac ShakurScheduled sentencing date.
October 14
- 1920Mary Pinchot MeyerMary Pinchot is born.
- 1992Little Miss Lake Panasoffkee (Maureen "Cookie" Rowan)The case is featured on the television program Unsolved Mysteries.
- 2008Caylee AnthonyA grand jury indicts Casey Anthony on charges including first-degree murder, aggravated child abuse, and…
- 2021Susan Berman, Kathleen Durst & Morris BlackDurst is sentenced to life in prison without parole.
- 2024Leigh Marine OcchiA Lee County chancellor signs an order declaring Leigh Occhi legally dead.
- 2025Sandy Hook VictimsThe US Supreme Court declines to hear Jones's appeal of the Connecticut judgment.
October 15
- 1965Mary Shotwell LittleHer bloodstained 1965 Mercury Comet is found in the Lenox Square parking lot with her groceries and…
- 2000Mary Lou MorrisMary McGinnis Morris, 39, calls 911 after telling a friend someone was making her uneasy; she is beaten and…
- 2019Dulce Maria AlavezAuthorities release a composite sketch of a man described as a person of interest, per reporting by 6abc and…
- 2021Cleo SmithCleo's family arrives at the Blowholes campsite north of Carnarvon for a camping trip.
- 2024Zelig WilliamsThe family hires private investigator Chandra Cleveland.
October 16
- 1888Jack the Ripper VictimsThe 'From Hell' letter with half a human kidney is received.
- 1985Steve Christensen & Kathy SheetsA third bomb explodes in Mark Hofmann's car, seriously injuring him.
- 2000Mary Lou MorrisMary McGinnis Morris's body is found in her car on West Little York in northwest Houston.
- 2009Oscar GrantA judge grants a change of venue, moving Mehserle's trial to Los Angeles due to pretrial publicity.
- 2014Garrett PhillipsA judge dismisses the first indictment against Hillary, citing problems with the grand jury proceeding.
- 2017Jessica ChambersThe first trial ends in a mistrial after the jury is unable to reach a unanimous verdict.
- 2024Zelig WilliamsRichland County Sheriff Leon Lott holds a press conference; he does not rule out foul play.
October 17
- 1977Hillside Strangler VictimsYolanda Washington, 19, becomes the first known victim; her body is found the next day, beginning the…
- 2002Holly MadduxA Philadelphia jury finds Einhorn guilty of first-degree murder; the conviction carries mandatory life…
- 2014Jordan DavisDunn is sentenced to life in prison without parole plus 105 years.
- 2021Elijah LewisDanielle Dauphinais and Joseph Stapf are arrested in New York City on witness tampering and child…
October 18
- 2010Russell Williams VictimsWilliams pleads guilty to all 88 charges in Ontario Superior Court in Belleville.
- 2014Hannah GrahamSearchers find human remains on an abandoned property off Old Lynchburg Road in Albemarle County.
- 2019Pamela ButlerStafford County prosecutors announce a murder charge against Rodriguez-Cruz in his wife's death.
- 2022Kristin SmartPaul Flores is convicted of first-degree murder; Ruben Flores is acquitted of being an accessory after the…
- 2023Natalee HollowayVan der Sloot pleads guilty to extortion and wire fraud and is sentenced to 20 years; as part of the plea…
- 2024Abigail Williams & Liberty GermanAllen's trial begins in Delphi before Special Judge Fran Gull.
October 19
- 1979Hillside Strangler VictimsA judge rejects Bianchi's insanity/multiple-personality defense after experts conclude he was feigning the…
- 1989Colonial Parkway MurdersThe bodies of Lauer and Phelps are discovered in a wooded area near the I-64 rest stop.
- 2011Lisa IrwinA search warrant is executed at the home; court documents later note a cadaver dog reportedly alerted to a…
- 2012Ben NeedhamGreek police, with South Yorkshire Police advisers, begin excavating near the farmhouse; nothing is found.
- 2019Tylee Ryan & Joshua 'JJ' VallowTammy Daybell, Chad Daybell's first wife, is found dead; her death is later ruled a homicide by asphyxiation.
- 2022Brittanee DrexelRaymond Moody pleads guilty to murder, kidnapping, and first-degree criminal sexual conduct and is sentenced…
October 20
- 1967James Chaney, Andrew Goodman & Michael SchwernerA federal jury convicts seven men of conspiracy; the jury deadlocks on Edgar Ray Killen.
- 1996Marc Dutroux VictimsAbout 300,000 people take part in the White March in Brussels.
- 2021Gabrielle PetitoLaundrie's remains are found in a Florida nature reserve; his death is later ruled a suicide.
October 21
- 2010Russell Williams VictimsJustice Robert F. Scott sentences Williams to two life terms with no parole eligibility for 25 years.
- 2014Mary BoyleA 64-year-old man is arrested in connection with the disappearance.
- 2014Reeva SteenkampHe is sentenced to five years in prison.
- 2015Brittany KillgoreA jury convicts all three defendants of first-degree murder, kidnapping, torture and attempted sexual battery.
- 2019Nique LeiliThe Supreme Court of Georgia affirms the convictions in Leili v. State.
- 2021Cleo SmithThe Western Australian government announces a A$1 million reward as police treat the case as an abduction.
- 2024York County Jane Doe (Biddeford Jane Doe)WGME reports that the Maine Medical Examiner's Office is investigating all leads and NCMEC re-circulates the…
- 2024Zelig WilliamsThe family announces a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to Williams' whereabouts.
- 2025Cherrie MahanPennsylvania State Police and the FBI dig along the Allegheny River in South Buffalo Township, Armstrong…
- 2025Maddie CliftonCourt hearing held on the sentence review; Maddie's family opposes any reduction.
October 22
- 1979Hillside Strangler VictimsAngelo Buono Jr. is arrested after Bianchi names him as the second Hillside Strangler.
- 1983Wah Mee Club MassacreWillie Mak is sentenced to death by hanging.
- 2007Jennifer LevinChambers is arrested on drug-sale charges in Manhattan.
- 2010Russell Williams VictimsThe Governor General agrees to strip Williams of his rank.
- 2011Sara Ann Lewis TrustyCBS News includes her case in a feature seeking tips on unsolved cases along the I-45 corridor.
- 2014Mary BoyleThe man is released without charge.
- 2017Sherin MathewsSherin's body is found in a culvert near the family home.
- 2019Tammy DaybellShe is buried in Springville, Utah.
- 2021Robert Hansen VictimsAuthorities announce that 'Horseshoe Harriet' has been identified as Robin Pelkey through DNA and genetic…
- 2025Amy Wroe BechtelCowboy State Daily reports that the sheriff's office is reviewing a new tip concerning property where Dale…
October 23
- 1993Holly PiirainenHunters find her remains in woods off Five Bridge Road in Brimfield.
- 1997Levi FradyLevi's body is found in the Dawson Forest Wildlife Management Area; he had been shot three times.
- 2012Jessica RidgewaySigg's mother, Mindy Sigg, calls 911 to report that her son confessed to the killing.
- 2015Ebby Jane SteppachSteppach attends a party in Little Rock.
- 2018Heather ElvisTammy Moorer is convicted of kidnapping and conspiracy to kidnap; sentenced to 30 years.
- 2019Teresa SieversA jury finds Rodgers guilty of second-degree murder; he is later sentenced to life in prison.
- 2021Elijah LewisRemains are found buried in woods near Ames Nowell State Park in Abington, Massachusetts.
- 2025Cheryl GrimmerMP Jeremy Buckingham reads the 1971 statement in the NSW Legislative Council under parliamentary privilege.
- 2025Holly PiirainenDistrict Attorney Anthony Gulluni announces a forensic genetic genealogy event for the case.
- 2026Faith HedgepethAfter about two days of deliberation, the jury finds Salguero-Olivares guilty of first-degree murder (on…
- 2026Faith HedgepethJudge Gregory sentences him the same day to life without parole for the murder, 240 to 348 months each for…
October 24
- 1949Dorothy ForsteinNewspapers including the Milwaukee Journal and Chicago Tribune report the disappearance and fears of an…
- 1966Marilyn SheppardJury selection begins for Sheppard's retrial, with F. Lee Bailey as chief defense counsel and press access…
- 1978The Connecticut River Valley KillerCatherine Millican, 27, found stabbed to death in New London, New Hampshire — the earliest widely linked…
- 1983Circleville Letter WriterFreshour is convicted of attempted murder; he is sentenced to seven to 25 years.
- 1989Carol StuartCarol Stuart dies in hospital. Her son, delivered by caesarean section, survives for 17 days.
- 2005Tara GrinsteadShe fails to report to work; her unlocked car is found in her driveway and she is reported missing.
- 2012Jessica RidgewayAustin Sigg is arrested at his Westminster home in connection with Jessica's abduction and murder.
- 2014Hannah GrahamPolice announce that the remains have been identified as Hannah Graham.
- 2017Sierah JoughinWorley convicted; sentenced to death.
- 2021Elijah LewisAn autopsy confirms the remains are Elijah's.
- 2022Harmony MontgomeryAuthorities announce Adam Montgomery's arrest on a second-degree murder charge.
- 2022Natalia Grace BarnettMichael Barnett's trial begins in Tippecanoe County.
- 2023Jennifer DulosA Connecticut probate court declares Jennifer Dulos legally dead.
- 2024José & Kitty MenéndezLos Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón recommends resentencing.
October 25
- 1953Evelyn HartleyBloodstained clothing found along highway south of La Crosse.
- 1961Joan RischPolice conduct extensive search of the area; no trace of Joan is found.
- 2002Girly Chew HossencofftA jury convicts Linda Henning of felony murder, kidnapping, conspiracy, tampering with evidence and perjury.
- 2006Gainesville Ripper VictimsDanny Rolling is executed by lethal injection at Florida State Prison at age 52, closing the case.
- 2006Grissom Family Murders (Danny Rolling Confession)Rolling is executed at Florida State Prison after giving a minister a handwritten confession to the Grissom…
- 2013JonBenét RamseyPreviously sealed 1999 grand jury indictment documents are made public.
- 2015Ebby Jane SteppachAround 2 p.m., Steppach makes her last known contact, a disoriented phone call to her brother Trevor in…
- 2019Aniah BlanchardHer car is found abandoned with blood evidence inside.
- 2021Jelani DayThe coroner announces the cause of death was drowning; the manner remains undetermined.
- 2021John Wayne Gacy VictimsThe Sheriff's Office announces the identification of Francis Wayne Alexander using forensic genetic genealogy.
- 2024Dag HammarskjöldUN announces Othman's latest assessment: an external attack or threat remains a plausible cause; key…
- 2024Elijah LewisDauphinais is sentenced to 50 years to life plus a consecutive term, a minimum of 53 and a half years.
- 2025Ebby Jane SteppachOn the tenth anniversary of her disappearance, investigators announce a new lead and seek witnesses who may…
October 26
- 1949Dorothy ForsteinThe Associated Press reports a nationwide search, with some 10,000 notices sent out by Philadelphia…
- 1984Laura BradburyUPI reports that authorities believe the child was abducted by a man in a blue van seen in the area; her…
- 2011Dagmar HagelinAstiz receives a life sentence in a separate ESMA trial.
- 2022Abigail Williams & Liberty GermanRichard Allen is taken into custody after a previously misfiled 2017 tip is reviewed.
October 27
- 1919New Orleans Axeman VictimsMike Pepitone is fatally attacked, the last attack attributed to the Axeman.
- 1964Boston Strangler VictimsAlbert DeSalvo is arrested in an unrelated home sexual assault, part of the 'Green Man' offenses that led to…
- 1983Robert Hansen VictimsInvestigators search Hansen's home, recovering victims' jewelry, firearms, and an aviation chart marked with…
- 1999Sandra RivettThe High Court declares Lord Lucan dead for probate purposes.
- 2006Grissom Family Murders (Danny Rolling Confession)Shreveport police hold a news conference on the confession.
- 2008Darnell Donerson, Jason Hudson & Julian KingJulian King's body is discovered inside an abandoned SUV on Chicago's West Side; all three victims died of…
- 2015Ebby Jane SteppachHer 2003 Volkswagen Passat is found abandoned in Chalamont Park with the key in the ignition and personal…
- 2019Ivan Milat (Backpacker Murders)Milat dies of cancer in the hospital wing of Long Bay jail, aged 74.
- 2022Natalia Grace BarnettA jury acquits Michael Barnett on all four counts.
- 2023Sarah SternA New Jersey appellate panel's ruling upholding McAtasney's convictions and sentence is announced.
- 2026Richard Glossip (case)Judge Natalie Mai denies a defense motion to move the retrial to April 2027 for DNA testing of a knife the…
October 28
- 1965Kimberly LeachKimberly Dianne Leach is born, according to the Wikipedia article on the case.
- 2006Dana Lynn Dodd (Lavender Doe)Dana Dodd is killed; investigators later placed her death between 8:15 p.m. and 10:00 p.m.
- 2008Meredith KercherGuede is convicted of murder and sexual assault in a fast-track trial and sentenced to 30 years, later…
- 2009James Byrd Jr.President Obama signs the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act.
- 2017Flora Fire VictimsIndiana NAACP becomes involved, citing concerns about the investigation, according to WRTV.
- 2022Shanquella RobinsonRobinson and six companions arrive in the Los Cabos area of Mexico.
- 2025Damon Eugene BluthenthalKTLA reports the LASD Homicide Bureau is seeking the public's help, noting little information about the case…
- 2025Sandra BirchmoreA superseding indictment adds a count of causing the death of an unborn child.
October 29
- 1968Tiffany SessionsTiffany Louise Sessions is born; she later enrolls at the University of Florida as a business major.
- 198516th Street Baptist Church Bombing VictimsChambliss dies.
- 1989Ben NeedhamBen Needham is born in Boston, Lincolnshire, England.
- 2007Stacy PetersonStacy Peterson is reported missing after relatives are unable to reach her.
- 2009Anthony Sowell VictimsCleveland police search 12205 Imperial Avenue on a rape warrant and find the first two victims' remains.
- 2011Karen SwiftKaren Swift attends a Halloween party at the Dyersburg Country Club, then picks up her daughter and returns…
- 2015Jacob WetterlingHeinrich is publicly named a person of interest in Jacob's disappearance and arrested on federal…
- 2023Angie DodgeTapp is found injured at a Las Vegas hotel and later dies; the death is ruled a homicide.
- 2025Little Miss Lake Panasoffkee (Maureen "Cookie" Rowan)Sheriff Patrick Breeden announces the victim has been identified as Maureen "Cookie" Rowan, 21, of Tampa…
October 30
- 1953Bobby GreenleaseHall and Heady enter guilty pleas in federal court.
- 1966Cheryl GrimmerCheryl Gene Grimmer is born in Bristol, England (Wikipedia).
- 1975Yorkshire Ripper (death)Wilma McCann is killed in Leeds, the first murder for which Sutcliffe was later convicted.
- 1980Betty GoreA jury acquits Montgomery after a little more than three hours of deliberation.
- 2020Martha MoxleyConnecticut prosecutors announce they will not retry Skakel, leaving Martha Moxley's murder with no…
- 2024Elijah VueBaur pleads not guilty to chronic neglect of a child resulting in death and related charges.
- 2026Glenn Powers (Quincy John Doe)Norfolk District Attorney Michael W. Morrissey announces the remains are those of Glenn Powers and appeals…
October 31
- 1966Cheri Jo BatesHer father reports her missing at 5:45 a.m.; her body is found near the campus about 45 minutes later.
- 1969Bible John VictimsHelen Puttock, 29, is found dead behind her home in Scotstoun after a night at the Barrowland with her sister.
- 1975Martha MoxleyMartha's body is found on her family's property; she had been beaten and stabbed with a golf club linked to…
- 1977Hillside Strangler VictimsJudith Miller, 15, is abducted; her body is discovered on November 1, one of several victims left on open…
- 1979Henry Lee Lucas VictimsThe body of an unidentified woman later dubbed 'Orange Socks' (reportedly identified as Debra Jackson) is…
- 1980Sherri Ann Jarvis (Walker County Jane Doe)Witnesses see Jarvis at a Gulf gas station and the Hitchin' Post Truck Stop in Huntsville, Texas, asking…
- 1987Barbara Ann Hackmann Taylor ("Tent Girl")Todd Matthews, then 17, learns of the case from Lori Riddle, daughter of the man who found the body, and…
- 1994Megan KankaGovernor Christine Todd Whitman signs New Jersey's sex offender registration and community notification…
- 2001Hyun Jong "Cindy" SongCindy Song goes out in a bunny costume with friends to Player's Night Club in State College for Halloween.
- 2009Anthony Sowell VictimsAnthony Sowell is arrested about a mile from his home after a tip to police.
- 2013Kendrick JohnsonThe U.S. Attorney opens a formal federal review of Johnson's death.
- 2013Rachel Lucille CyriacksBrad Cyriacks is arrested after a domestic assault incident on Rachel's 30th birthday and jailed in Huron.
- 2016Walter ScottSlager's state murder trial begins in Charleston County.
- 2018Karlie GuséThe Sheriff's Office says there is nothing new to report and no evidence of an abduction or other crime…
- 2022Abigail Williams & Liberty GermanAllen is formally charged with murder.
- 2022Jonelle MatthewsAt his second trial, a Weld County jury convicts Pankey of felony murder, second-degree kidnapping, and…
- 2022Ruth Marie Terry (Lady of the Dunes)FBI Boston announces the victim has been identified as Ruth Marie Terry through investigative genetic…