Cold Cases in California
ColdCaseIndex documents 105 cold cases in California, spanning 1921–2024. 45 of these cases remain fully unsolved. Each case page includes documented details, status, and information on how to submit a tip.
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By Status
All California Cases
Damon Eugene Bluthenthal
Damon Eugene Bluthenthal, a 50-year-old San Pedro man, was reported missing on Christmas Eve 2024 and found dead five days later in a parking lot on South Acacia Avenue in Compton, near the Metro A Line's Artesia station
Roy Allen Tsatoke
Roy Allen Tsatoke, a 26-year-old Kiowa man, was last seen on September 22, 2024, while house-sitting at a home on Hiller Road in McKinleyville, California. His phone last pinged north of Willow Creek off Highway 96 that
Scott Peterson (new evidence)
The Los Angeles Innocence Project took on Scott Peterson's case, arguing new evidence could prove his innocence. In 2024, a judge ordered new DNA testing on evidence from the Laci Peterson murder.
Elizabeth Holmes (Theranos)
Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes was convicted of fraud for deceiving investors about her blood-testing technology. She was sentenced to over 11 years in federal prison.
Sherri Papini (hoax)
Sherri Papini was convicted of faking her own kidnapping in 2016. She had claimed she was abducted while jogging and tortured by two Hispanic women. She had actually been staying with an ex-boyfriend.
Jaylen Fleer
San Diego County sheriff's deputy Jaylen Fleer was sentenced to 12 years for sexually exploiting minors. He was caught in a sting operation when he arranged to meet a 14-year-old.
Pop Smoke
Brooklyn rapper Pop Smoke (Bashar Jackson) was shot and killed during a home invasion in Hollywood Hills. Five teenagers were convicted. He had accidentally posted his address on social media.
Nipsey Hussle
Grammy-nominated rapper and community activist Nipsey Hussle was shot and killed outside his Marathon Clothing store in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Los Angeles. Eric Holder Jr. was convicted of first-degree murder in 2
Adea Shabani
Aspiring actress Adea Shabani vanished from her Hollywood apartment. Her boyfriend Chris Spotz killed her and buried her body in a desert. Spotz died in a police chase.
Golden State Killer (arrest)
Joseph James DeAngelo, the Golden State Killer, was arrested in 2018 through investigative genetic genealogy. The former police officer had committed 13 murders and 50+ rapes across California.
Hart Family
Jennifer and Sarah Hart drove their SUV off a cliff in Mendocino County, California, killing themselves and their six adopted children. The murders followed a CPS visit.
Karlie Gusé
Sixteen-year-old Karlie Gusé vanished from her family's home in rural Chalfant Valley, California after experiencing a bad reaction to marijuana. She was seen walking on the highway at dawn.
Rebecca Zahau (civil case)
A civil jury found Adam Shacknai responsible for Rebecca Zahau's death at the Spreckels mansion, despite the sheriff ruling it suicide. The family was awarded $5 million.
Sherri Papini
Sherri Papini faked her own kidnapping in Redding, California, claiming two Hispanic women abducted her. She was found alive after 22 days. In 2022, she pleaded guilty to hoax charges.
Rico Harris
Rico Harris, a 37-year-old former Harlem Globetrotter driving from Los Angeles to Seattle to start a new life, vanished in October 2014. His abandoned car and backpack were found in a remote Yolo County park north of Sac
Bryce Laspisa
Bryce Laspisa, a 19-year-old college student, disappeared on August 30, 2013, near Castaic Lake in Los Angeles County, California, after a series of unusual stops and phone calls while driving toward his parents' home. H
Elisa Lam
Canadian tourist Elisa Lam was found dead in a rooftop water tank at the Cecil Hotel in Los Angeles. Eerie elevator surveillance footage showed her behaving oddly before her disappearance. The death was ruled accidental
Elisa Lam (Cecil Hotel detail)
The bizarre elevator surveillance video of Elisa Lam at the Cecil Hotel went viral. Her body was found in a rooftop water tank. Her death was ruled accidental drowning related to bipolar disorder.
Brittany Killgore
Twenty-two-year-old Brittany Killgore disappeared from Lake Elsinore after responding to a Craigslist ad. Her body was found days later. Dorothea Puente and Louis Perez were convicted of her murder; Cynthia Garcia cooper
Rebecca Zahau
Rebecca Zahau was found nude, bound, and hanging from a balcony at the historic Spreckels Mansion in Coronado, California, two days after her boyfriend's young son suffered a fatal fall. Authorities ruled her death a sui
Chelsea King
Seventeen-year-old Chelsea King vanished while jogging near her Rancho Bernardo home. John Gardner was convicted of her murder and linked to Amber Dubois. Chelsea's Law was passed in California after her death, tightenin
Deysi Garcia
Deysi Garcia, a 28-year-old Honduran immigrant, vanished from San Francisco's Mission District. She was last seen leaving her workplace. Despite community efforts, she has never been found.
Amber Dubois
Fourteen-year-old Amber Dubois disappeared while walking to her Escondido high school. Convicted sex offender John Gardner abducted and killed her. He was convicted in 2010 and sentenced to life without parole. Gardner a
Mitrice Richardson
Mitrice Richardson, a 24-year-old woman, vanished in September 2009 after being released in the middle of the night from a Los Angeles County sheriff's station in Malibu with no phone, money, or transportation. Her remai
Oscar Grant
Oscar Grant was shot and killed by BART police officer Johannes Mehserle on the Fruitvale station platform in Oakland. Mehserle claimed he mistook his gun for his Taser. He was convicted of involuntary manslaughter, the
Sandra Cantu
Eight-year-old Sandra Cantu was murdered by Melissa Huckaby, a Sunday school teacher and neighbor in Tracy, California. Huckaby pleaded guilty to murder and kidnapping.
Nina Reiser
Nina Reiser, a Russian-born woman, disappeared in Oakland, California. Her estranged husband Hans Reiser, a prominent open-source software developer, was convicted of first-degree murder in 2008. He eventually led police
Nina Reiser (Hans trial)
Linux programmer Hans Reiser murdered his wife Nina during a custody dispute. He led police to her body in the Oakland hills after being convicted, in exchange for a second-degree murder plea.
Daniel Pearl
Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl was kidnapped and murdered in Pakistan in 2002. Omar Sheikh was convicted in Pakistan. Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh's death sentence was overturned in 2021 by Pakistan's Supreme Court
Danielle van Dam
Seven-year-old Danielle van Dam was abducted from her Sabre Springs home and murdered by neighbor David Westerfield. Her body was found in a rural area two months later. Westerfield was convicted and sentenced to death.
Jahi Marques Turner
Two-year-old Jahi Turner was reported missing from a San Diego park by his stepfather in April 2002 and was never found. The stepfather was charged with murder in 2016, but his 2018 trial ended in a mistrial and the char
Laci Peterson
Laci Peterson was eight months pregnant when she disappeared on Christmas Eve. Her husband Scott Peterson reported her missing and became the prime suspect. Laci's remains and those of her unborn son Conner washed ashore
Samantha Runnion
Five-year-old Samantha Runnion was abducted from outside her Orange County apartment complex and murdered. Her mother Erin Runnion became a prominent child safety advocate, founding the Joyful Child Foundation. Alejandro
Ashley Ellerin
Fashion student Ashley Ellerin was stabbed 47 times in her Hollywood home. Serial killer Michael Gargiulo, the 'Hollywood Ripper,' was convicted in 2019. Actor Ashton Kutcher testified at trial.
Bonny Lee Bakley
Bonny Lee Bakley was shot while sitting in actor Robert Blake's parked car outside a restaurant in Studio City, Los Angeles. Blake claimed he had gone back to the restaurant to retrieve a gun. Blake was acquitted in crim
Bonny Lee Bakley (Robert Blake)
Actor Robert Blake's wife Bonny Lee Bakley was shot dead outside a restaurant. Blake was acquitted of murder but found liable in a civil trial. The case officially remains unsolved.
Yosemite Sightseer Murders
Carole Sund, her daughter Juli, and friend Silvina Pelosso went missing near Yosemite and were found dead weeks later. Handyman Cary Stayner was convicted of their murders plus a fourth victim, a park ranger interpreter.
Anthony Martinez
Ten-year-old Anthony Martinez was abducted while playing outside his Beaumont, California, home in 1997 and found murdered in the desert about two weeks later. The case was solved when serial killer Joseph Edward Duncan
Ennis Cosby
Ennis Cosby, son of Bill Cosby, was shot while changing a tire on Interstate 405 in Los Angeles. Mikhail Markhasev was convicted of the murder in 1998. The case shocked the entertainment world. Markhasev later recanted h
Karen Mitchell
Sixteen-year-old Karen Mitchell vanished while walking to her aunt's house in Eureka, California. She has been linked to a possible serial killer operating on the Redwood Highway.
Kristen Modafferi
Eighteen-year-old Kristen Modafferi disappeared from San Francisco while working a summer job before starting at UC San Diego. She was last seen on a bus. Despite nationwide searches and continued investigation, Kristen
The Notorious B.I.G. (Christopher Wallace)
Rapper Christopher Wallace, known as The Notorious B.I.G., was shot in a drive-by shooting in Los Angeles after attending the Soul Train Music Awards. He was killed just six months after Tupac Shakur. Despite a massive i
Belle in the Boot
A woman's remains were found in a sleeping bag near a freeway in Pacific Palisades, California. She was wearing expensive Western boots. Her identity remains unknown.
Kristin Smart
Cal Poly freshman Kristin Smart disappeared after a party near campus. Fellow student Paul Flores was the last person seen with her. After 25 years as a cold case, Flores was arrested in 2021 and convicted of first-degre
Crystal Ann Tymich
Six-year-old Crystal Ann Tymich disappeared from South Los Angeles on June 30, 1994. She was playing outside when she vanished. Despite extensive searches and FBI involvement, Crystal has never been found. Her case is on
Jenny Lin
Fourteen-year-old Jenny Lin was murdered in her Castro Valley, California home while her parents were at work. The case remains unsolved despite DNA evidence.
Nicole Brown Simpson & Ron Goldman
Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman were stabbed to death outside her Brentwood condominium. Nicole's ex-husband O.J. Simpson was tried for the murders in the 'Trial of the Century' and acquitted in 1995. He was later f
Polly Klaas
Twelve-year-old Polly Klaas was kidnapped at knifepoint from a slumber party at her Petaluma home and murdered. Richard Allen Davis was convicted and sentenced to death. Polly's case led directly to California's 'three s
Denise Huber
Denise Huber, 23, disappeared from a Southern California freeway in June 1991 after her car got a flat tire. Her frozen body was found in 1994 in a truck at John Famalaro's Arizona home; he was convicted of murder in 199
Jaycee Dugard
Eleven-year-old Jaycee Dugard was kidnapped from a bus stop in South Lake Tahoe. She was held captive for 18 years by Phillip and Nancy Garrido in their backyard compound, bearing two children. She was discovered alive i
Latasha Harlins
Fifteen-year-old Latasha Harlins was shot and killed by Korean-American store owner Soon Ja Du in Los Angeles. Du was convicted of voluntary manslaughter but given probation and no jail time. The lenient sentence inflame
Betty Broderick (case detail)
Betty Broderick shot her ex-husband Dan and his new wife Linda dead in their bed. After one mistrial, she was convicted of two counts of second-degree murder. She has been denied parole multiple times.
Dan Broderick
Betty Broderick shot and killed her ex-husband attorney Dan Broderick and his new wife Linda in La Jolla. The divorce had been bitter and acrimonious. Betty was convicted and sentenced to 32 years to life. The case becam
Ilene Beth Misheloff
Thirteen-year-old Ilene Misheloff disappeared while walking home from school in Dublin, California. She has never been found. A former neighbor was considered a suspect decades later. The FBI lists her case among the mos
José & Kitty Menéndez
Entertainment executive José Menéndez and his wife Kitty were shotgunned to death in their Beverly Hills mansion by their sons Lyle and Erik. The brothers were convicted in 1996 after two trials. Resentencing efforts cit
Amber Swartz
Seven-year-old Amber Swartz disappeared from near her Pinole, California home in June 1988. Despite massive searches and investigation, she was never found. Her case was one of several that motivated California child saf
Mickey & Trudy Thompson
Racing legend Mickey Thompson and his wife Trudy were ambushed and shot in their driveway by two hooded gunmen. Former business partner Michael Goodwin was convicted in 2007 after 19 years. The actual shooters were never
Cara Knott
Cara Knott, a 20-year-old San Diego State University student, was strangled and thrown into a ravine in December 1986 after being pulled over on an isolated Interstate 15 offramp. Her killer was California Highway Patrol
Dorothy Miller
Dorothy Miller was one of Dorothy Puente's victims at the Sacramento boarding house. Her death was among those discovered when seven bodies were found buried in Puente's yard in 1988. Puente's conviction covered three mu
Michael Anthony Hughes
Seventeen-year-old Michael Anthony Hughes was found murdered in Long Beach, California. The case has been linked to the Freeway Killer Randy Kraft, but Hughes was never officially added to Kraft's victim list. The case r
Sherri Rasmussen
Hospital nursing supervisor Sherri Rasmussen was beaten and shot in her home. The case went cold for 23 years until DNA from a bite wound matched LAPD detective Stephanie Lazarus, who had been Sherri's husband's ex-girlf
Grim Sleeper Victims
Lonnie Franklin Jr., known as the Grim Sleeper, was convicted of killing 10 women in Los Angeles between 1985 and 2007. He appeared to stop killing for years (hence 'Grim Sleeper') and was identified through familial DNA
Night Stalker (Richard Ramirez)
Richard Ramirez terrorized Los Angeles in 1984-1985, breaking into homes and committing murder, rape, and robbery. He was caught by an angry mob and convicted of 13 murders.
Terri Lynn Hollis
Eleven-year-old Terri Lynn Hollis vanished after leaving a friend's house in Hawthorne, California. A witness saw her get into a blue van. Despite extensive searches and investigations, she was never found.
Laura Bradbury
Three-year-old Laura Bradbury vanished from her family's campsite at Indian Cove Campground in Joshua Tree, California, in October 1984 after stepping away from a restroom. A child's skull found nearby in 1986 was believ
Night Stalker Victims
Richard Ramirez, the Night Stalker, terrorized Southern California committing 14 murders, rapes, and burglaries. He was captured after residents of Mission Viejo recognized him and held him until police arrived. He was c
Kellie Poppleton
Fourteen-year-old Kellie Poppleton disappeared in Fremont, California on December 2, 1983 and was found murdered hours later. Despite an extensive investigation and periodic reexamination of the evidence, her killer has
Dorothea Puente Victims
Dorothea Puente was a Sacramento boardinghouse operator who poisoned elderly tenants and continued cashing their Social Security checks. Seven bodies were found buried in her yard in 1988. She was convicted of three murd
Keddie Cabin 28 Victims
Four people were brutally murdered in Cabin 28 at the Keddie resort in the Sierra Nevada mountains. Three children sleeping in the next room were unharmed. Despite a suspect being named by the sheriff, the DA declined to
Keddie Cabin Murders
Glenna Sharp and her son Johnny and family friend Dana Wingate were bound, stabbed, and bludgeoned in Cabin 28 at Keddie resort. The other Sharp children survived by hiding in an adjacent cabin. A skull found years later
Keddie Murders
Three people were bludgeoned and stabbed in cabin 28 at the Keddie Resort in rural Northern California. A fourth victim, a 12-year-old girl, was also murdered. The case has never been solved.
Natalie Wood
Actress Natalie Wood drowned off Santa Catalina Island, California, in 1981; the case was reopened decades later and her cause of death amended to include undetermined factors, but it remains unresolved.
Dorothy Jane Scott
Dorothy Jane Scott disappeared from a hospital parking lot in Anaheim, California. An unknown stalker had been harassing her for months before her disappearance and continued calling her mother afterward.
Jeannie Mills Family
Jeannie Mills, one of the early defectors from Jim Jones's Peoples Temple, was murdered along with her husband Al and their daughter Linda in their Berkeley home. She had been a vocal critic of Jones and Jonestown. The k
Suzanne Bombardier
Fourteen-year-old Suzanne Bombardier vanished from her Antioch, California home. Skeletal remains found decades later near Antioch have not been confirmed as hers. The case remains one of Contra Costa County's oldest mis
Robin Samsoe
Twelve-year-old Robin Samsoe was abducted while riding her bicycle to dance class in Huntington Beach. Her case led to the identification and conviction of serial killer Rodney Alcala, known as 'The Dating Game Killer,'
Rep. Leo Ryan & Jonestown Victims
U.S. Congressman Leo Ryan was shot dead at an airstrip in Guyana along with members of his delegation while investigating Jim Jones's Peoples Temple. Hours later, 918 Temple members died in Jonestown in the largest mass
Yuba County Five
Five young men from Yuba City disappeared after attending a basketball game in Chico. Their car was found abandoned on a remote mountain road. Four bodies were eventually found in and near a Forest Service trailer; the f
Hillside Strangler Victims
Cousins Angelo Buono and Kenneth Bianchi posed as police officers, kidnapped, raped, and murdered 10 women in Los Angeles. Their victims were found on hillsides, giving rise to the 'Hillside Strangler' name. Both were co
Roger Kibbe Victims
Roger Kibbe was convicted of murdering seven women in California, known as the I-5 Strangler. His victims were found along freeways. A cold case detective reopened the cases in the early 2000s using DNA evidence, finally
East Area Rapist Victims
Before becoming the Golden State Killer, Joseph James DeAngelo committed at least 50 rapes in the Sacramento area as the East Area Rapist. He terrorized neighborhoods from 1976 to 1979.
The Gypsy Hill Killings
Five young women and girls were murdered in San Mateo County, California, during early 1976. Decades later, DNA linked career criminal Rodney Halbower to two of the killings, for which he was convicted in 2018; a separat
Myrna Opsahl
Myrna Opsahl was shot and killed during a bank robbery by members of the Symbionese Liberation Army in Carmichael, California. Patricia Hearst and several SLA members were later convicted of the robbery in 2003 for charg
Arlis Perry
Newlywed Arlis Perry was found murdered in Stanford Memorial Church in a ritualistic-looking staged scene. The case went unsolved for 44 years until DNA linked security guard Stephen Blake Crawford, who killed himself as
Golden State Killer Victims
The Golden State Killer committed at least 13 murders, 50 rapes, and 100 burglaries across California. Joseph James DeAngelo, a former police officer, was identified in 2018 through genealogy DNA testing and pleaded guil
Patty Hearst Kidnapping
Newspaper heiress Patty Hearst was abducted from her Berkeley apartment by the Symbionese Liberation Army. After months in captivity she participated in a bank robbery. She was convicted in 1976 but pardoned by President
The Doodler
An unidentified serial killer nicknamed 'The Doodler' stabbed to death at least five, and possibly many more, gay men in San Francisco between January 1974 and September 1975. He earned his nickname by sketching victims
The Santa Rosa Hitchhiker Murders
At least seven young women and girls who hitchhiked in and around Santa Rosa were found nude and dumped in rural areas of Sonoma County between 1972 and 1973. The killings remain unsolved more than fifty years later, wit
Christine Marie Eastin
Nineteen-year-old Christine Marie Eastin disappeared from Hayward, California on January 18, 1971. She was last seen near her home. Despite FBI involvement, she was never found. Her case remains on the FBI's unsolved mis
Bryan Hartnell & Cecelia Shepard
Bryan Hartnell and Cecelia Shepard were attacked by the Zodiac Killer at Lake Berryessa, Napa County. Both were stabbed multiple times; Cecelia died two days later. The Zodiac called the Napa police to report the crime a
Charles Manson Victims
Charles Manson directed his followers to commit a series of brutal murders in Los Angeles in August 1969, including actress Sharon Tate. Multiple cult members were convicted. Manson himself was convicted of conspiracy to
Paul Stine
Cab driver Paul Stine was shot in the back of the head by the Zodiac Killer while stopped in the Presidio Heights neighborhood of San Francisco. The Zodiac sent police a piece of Stine's bloodied shirt to prove his guilt
Reet Jurvetson
Reet Jurvetson, a 19-year-old from Montreal, was found stabbed to death off Mulholland Drive in Los Angeles in November 1969 and remained unidentified as 'Jane Doe 59' for 46 years. She was identified in 2015 after a fam
Sharon Tate & LaBianca Murders
Actress Sharon Tate and four others were murdered at the Polanski home in Bel Air. The next night, Leno and Rosemary LaBianca were killed. Charles Manson directed his followers Charles 'Tex' Watson, Susan Atkins, and Pat
David Faraday & Betty Lou Jensen
David Faraday (17) and Betty Lou Jensen (16) were the Zodiac Killer's first confirmed victims, shot on a dark lover's lane in Benicia, California. Faraday was shot in the head as he got out of his car; Jensen was shot wh
Robert F. Kennedy Assassination
Senator Robert F. Kennedy was shot at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles after winning the California presidential primary. Sirhan Sirhan was convicted and imprisoned. However, there remains debate about whether Sirhan
Zodiac Killer Victims
At least five confirmed victims were killed by an unidentified serial killer in Northern California between 1968 and 1969. The killer taunted police and newspapers with cryptic letters and ciphers signed with a crosshair
Cheri Jo Bates
Cheri Jo Bates was found stabbed to death near the library of Riverside City College. The Zodiac Killer sent letters claiming responsibility for the murder, though investigators debated whether it was truly his work. The
George Reeves
George Reeves, the actor who played Superman on television, died of a gunshot wound at his Los Angeles home in 1959; officially ruled a suicide, the death has long been disputed as a possible homicide.
Elizabeth Short (The Black Dahlia)
The mutilated body of 22-year-old Elizabeth Short was found in a vacant lot in Los Angeles. Her body had been severed at the waist, drained of blood, and posed. The case became one of the most famous unsolved murders in
Amelia Earhart
Pioneer aviator Amelia Earhart and navigator Fred Noonan vanished over the Pacific Ocean during her attempt to circumnavigate the globe. She was declared legally dead in 1939. Multiple theories exist including the crash-
Thelma Todd
Actress Thelma Todd was found dead in her garage from carbon monoxide. The death was ruled accidental but many believed it was murder. Theories pointed to her business partner Roland West or mob figure Lucky Luciano. The
Paul Bern
MGM film director Paul Bern was found shot at his Beverly Hills home. It was ruled a suicide but a note was found that some interpret as a murder. Theories point to Dorothy Millette, his common-law wife who was found dro
William Desmond Taylor
Silent film director William Desmond Taylor was found shot in his bungalow in Los Angeles. The murder implicated several silent film actresses, including Mabel Normand and Mary Miles Minter. Suspects were never prosecute
Virginia Rappe
Silent film actress Virginia Rappe died following a party at the St. Francis Hotel in San Francisco. Actor Roscoe 'Fatty' Arbuckle was charged with her rape and murder three times; all trials ended in acquittal or hung j