List of unidentified murder victims in California

1968 Los Angeles County John Doe

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NCMEC Reconstruction

The body of a black male was located on February 9, 1968 in Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California. The victim was a young man, aged 15 to 20 when he was shot to death by police during an alleged attempted burglary. The John Doe was approximately 6 feet 3 inches (1.91 m) tall and weighed 156 pounds (71 kg) with black hair and brown eyes. His frame was noticeably thin.[1] He was wearing a green sweater over a green turtle neck shirt. Blue pants, a brown leather belt, green socks, white boxers and gray shoes were also worn by the decedent. In an update in 2020, it was stated that his name may have been "Randolph Houser". The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children also released a new reconstruction of the young man in 2020.[2]

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Sketch of first victim
Sketch of second victim

On July 16, 1969, emergency responders responded to a building fire in Perris, California. After the fire was extinguished, firefighters located the charred remains of two young African American women. One[3][4] or both[5][6] of the women had substantial amounts of drugs in their bodies (accounts differ), and investigators believe that they were killed by homicidal means, deposited at the location, and set ablaze. The first woman was estimated to be between 25 and 30 years old, was 5 feet 2 inches (1.57 m) tall, and weighed 125 pounds (57 kg). The second was between 17 and 24 years old, was 5 feet 3 inches (1.60 m) tall and weighed 110 pounds (50 kg). Any clothing worn by either woman was destroyed in the fire. Two suspects have since been identified in the women's murders.[3][3]

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3D Reconstruction
Profile

On August 3, 1969, the body of a young white female was found by a group of hunters in a quarry in Lompoc, California. Her killer had stabbed her and slit her throat. It appeared that her body had been dragged across dust and brush and dumped behind a cluster of rocks near old State Route 1 and was most likely killed at the location. She was estimated to be between 16 and 25 years old, was between 5 feet 2 inches and 5 feet 4 inches (1.57 and 1.63 m) tall, and weighed between 120 and 130 pounds (54 and 59 kg). She had brown hair which was dyed a reddish blonde, blue eyes, and protruding incisors, and had had 19 dental fillings made within the last two years of her life. She also had pierced ears and silver nail polish. She was found wearing brown sandals with gold-colored buckles, a dark blue blouse, black bra, pink bikini panties, homemade white bell-bottoms decorated with a blue floral print, and thin horeshoe-shaped gold earrings. She was buried in 1969 but exhumed in 2001 for DNA extraction.[7]

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Ring
Ring (inside)
Dress/Blouse

On September 7, 1969, the remains of a young white female were recovered from a shallow grave off of Interstate 5 in Castaic, California. She had been possibly shot to death. Animal activity was noted with her remains. She was estimated to be between 19 and 26 years old, and was 5 feet 5 inches tall. She had brown hair. Weight and eye color could not be ascertained. She was found wearing a white/light beige mini-dress or a blouse that had a dark brown check and floral pattern as well as a white-metal ring that may have been traced to Texas. Inside the ring had a stamped insignia with three candles. Investigators believe that she may have been a hitchhiker. [8]

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NCMEC Reconstruction
Original NCMEC Reconstruction
Sketch
Photo of Teaford
Age Progression of Teaford

On October 2, 1969, the body of a young white female was discovered in a room in the St. Louis Hotel, after being killed by a man named Taylor Morris Teaford. Teaford had beaten her to death and then strangled her with her own clothing. She was estimated to be between 16 and 25 years old, was 5 feet 5 inches tall, and weighed 105 pounds. She had short/medium-dark brown or auburn hair and blue eyes. She had scars on her right forearm near her elbow and on her right hand. She also had needle marks on her elbows, indicating drug use. She was found wearing a white knit dress, a black bra, blue panties. More clothing found on the scene included a white sweater, white knee-high leather boots, multi-colored bell-bottom jeans, a multicolored blouse, and a multicolored miniskirt dress.[9]

Teaford currently has an arrest warrant issued for the murder of the unknown woman. [10]

Hacienda Heights John Doe

On the night of November 5, 1972, the body of a young man who was between eighteen and twenty-five years old was discovered in Hacienda Heights, Los Angeles County, California. The victim had suffered several gunshot wounds, which were previously heard by residents. He was found at the base of a ditch next to a road that had blood visible on it, which was likely his. The John Doe wore a denim jacket, brown boots, a pink shirt and bell bottom jeans with the words "love" and "peace" sewn on the legs, respectively. Jewelry worn by the decedent consisted of a gold-colored earring with a peace sign, and a white chained rosary bead necklace.[11] His brown or strawberry blond hair was long and his eyes were blue. He stood at six feet tall and weighed 175 pounds. He also may have worn a pair of yellow glasses found near his body. Apart from the image shown, his face has been reconstructed by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.[12]

Wilmington John Doe may have been a victim of Randy Steven Kraft.

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NCMEC reconstruction

On February 6, 1973, the naked body of a young man, between 17 and 25 years old, was found in a ditch near a freeway in Wilmington, California. He was 5 feet 8 inches tall, and had a faint beard, medium-length brown hair, and a fair complexion. His hair and eyes were brown. He had type A blood.[13] His teeth had had several fillings, meaning that he had received dental care. The victim had a number of thin, inch-long scars on the far end of his right leg.[14] He had been strangled and had been sodomized with a brown sock one or two days prior. It is presumed that this individual was murdered by serial killer Randy Steven Kraft. An entry simply reading "Wilmington" on a log of the murders Kraft is known to have compiled is believed to refer to this individual.[15]

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Sketch
Composite

On June 13, 1973, the dismembered body of a young to middle-aged white female was found inside of a reddish-orange suitcase underneath a pier in San Diego, California. Cause of death was found to be homicide by stabbing. She was estimated to be between 20 and 40 years old, was 5 feet 1 inch to 5 feet 6 inches tall, and weighed 150 pounds. She had brown/black medium length hair and brown eyes. She had what was described as 'perfect teeth' and her fingerprints had been amputated in the past. Investigators believe that she may have possibly been from Los Angeles, and was of Portuguese or Italian descent.

On December 24, 1973 an unknown homeless man was allegedly abducted and killed in San Francisco California during the Zebra murders of 1973-1974; all that was found of his remains were his torso, arms, and legs. [16][17][18]

A young woman murdered in 1974. Her killer confessed to her murder in 2013.[19]

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NCMEC Reconstruction
Artistic Rendering
Gold Ring
Silver Ring

On September 13, 1975, the body of a young African American female was found nude, lying in a road, in Compton, California. She was shot in the head twice, of which she survived, however the blunt trauma of being tossed from a moving vehicle afterwards caused her death. She was estimated to be between 14 and 17 years old, between 4 feet 11 inches and 5 feet 2 inches tall, and weighed 90 to 110 pounds. She had black, short, curly hair and brown eyes as well as a scar on her left foot. She was found wearing a gold ring with a black stone, a gold bracelet, a silver bracelet, a silver necklace, and a silver ring with a white stone and six green stones. There were no signs of sexual assault, and no traces of drugs or alcohol in her system. The victim was cremated in 1975, however, DNA is available for comparison or analysis. [20]

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Sketch

On October 24, 1975, the body of a young African American woman was found in a drainage canal in the Rubidoux area of Riverside County, California. She appeared to have died from an overdose, however investigators have not ruled out it being a homicide. She was between 19 and 25 years old, was 5 feet 8 inches tall, and weighed 135 pounds. She had a short, afro styled haircut and brown eyes. She was described as well groomed, and had false nails, polish on her toenails and pierced ears. Her teeth were healthy. She was found wearing blue denim pants, a blue T-shirt with a red and green logo on the front, a silver fork bracelet with a brown stone, and a ring with a two-rose design and a clear stone. She was found wrapped in a large brown blanket that was tied with an electrical cord. Investigators could find no injury to the body, and believed that she had been dumped at the location about a day prior. [21]

Boots worn by the San Mateo John Doe

The remains of a child aged nine to twelve were recovered on October 20, 1975, after an initial discovery on October 13 in a wooded area in Woodside, San Mateo County, California.[22] The victim was determined to be white and had been deceased for between one and three years before his skeleton was found. The child was about four feet seven inches to five feet tall, and of an indeterminable weight. He likely did not have access to dental care, as many problems were noticed in his teeth. The body was found clothed. A pair of size seven to seven and a half boots, a blue, long-sleeved sweater, and crucifix made of wood were found near the remains.[23] Additionally, rosary beads and a jacket liner with multicolored stripes were recovered.[24]

The body was initially believed to be that of an adult female until the victim was concluded to be a male around the age of eleven.[25] Signs of homicide were not initially found at first, although it was eventually discovered that the child died due to a fracture inflicted on the skull. It is speculated that the victim may have been a "migrant worker."[26] Investigators appealed to the public for tips leading to the child's identification without success.[27]

Nipton Jane Doe

The body of a white female between eighteen and thirty was found on May 30, 1976 near Nipton, San Bernardino County, California. She had died from a shotgun wound to her back and was then deposited in a mine shaft in the Mojave Desert.[28] The victim was murdered approximately four to six days before and wore a blue swimsuit.[29] She was approximately 140 to 150 pounds at the height of five feet four inches tall. The victim's front teeth overlapped and none of her wisdom teeth were found. She is not believed to have given birth during her lifetime. She had auburn hair and had previously painted her fingernails pink or orange.[30]

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The 1978 San Diego Jane Doe's right ear was smaller than her left, and she had a front tooth that was cracked in half.

The body of a girl between the ages of 14 and 18 years was discovered on the side of a road on February 14, 1978, in Otay, California. She had died two days prior. Her body was unrecognizable because it had been set on fire. The cause of her death was by poisoning and torture.[31][32] The kind of poison used has not been disclosed by investigators.[33]

Examination concluded that she was a white girl, between 5 feet and 5 feet 1 inch tall, weighing 85 to 90 pounds. Her eye color is presumed to have been brown, although the autopsy did not confirm the color. Her hair was brown and tied back with a rubber band. The victim had had her ears pierced. Her right ear was deformed and was smaller than her left ear, which was a distinctive feature.

She had had a root canal done on her bottom right front tooth, which was split into two pieces.[34] Blueish overalls and a white top with blue flowers were the only clothing worn by the girl.[35]

Up to 1,000 dollars is being offered for information on the case.[36]

An artist's drawing of what Long Beach John Doe may have looked like.

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NCMEC reconstruction

A white male, between 15 and 23 years old, was found lying face down on the pavement of Division Street in Long Beach, California, in the early hours of June 3, 1978. This individual had been strangled to death less than 24 hours before the discovery of his body.[37]

The hair of this decedent was brown, and extended below his ears. His eyes were hazel, he was between 5 feet 7 and 5 feet 11 inches in height, and weighed between 130 and 145 pounds. Examiners also noted that he had a scar just above his right eyebrow.[38] Furthermore, the right hand of this decedent had been stamped with the word "paid," possibly indicating that he had recently attended either a festival or a party.[39][40][41]

Authorities do not believe this individual was a runaway or a transient, as his clothing was of good quality. He wore running shoes, and all of his clothing was blue except for a brown belt. Some have speculated that he may have been a victim of serial killer Randy Steven Kraft.[1]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Long Beach John Doe (1978).

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NCMEC Reconstruction

On March 28, 1979, the headless decomposed remains of a young white male were found in a ravine in Mount Baldy, California. Cause of death was undetermined, however investigators are treating the case as a homicide. The man was estimated to be between 16 and 22 years old and was between 5 feet 7 inches and 5 feet 10 inches tall. He had medium-length strawberry-blonde hair. Weight and eye color could not be ascertained. Investigators have found another body in a ten mile radius of where the man was found, also decapitated. On May 22, the man's skull was found and deemed to belong to the same person. [42]

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NCMEC reconstruction

Reconstruction of the Rancho Cucamonga Jane Doe

The body of a white female between fifteen and thirty years old was discovered on June 7, 1979 in Rancho Cucamonga, San Bernardino County, California. The victim was left at the edge of a vineyard and wore only green socks and Lower Quarter Earth brand leather boots.[43] She had been asphyxiated and beaten before her body was discarded face-down in the vineyard. It is believed that this decedent was murdered approximately 24 hours before her body was found.[44]

Rancho Cucamonga Jane Doe was approximately five feet two inches tall with shoulder-length, light brown hair and weighed between 100 and 110 pounds.[45] Her teeth overlapped somewhat and one of her teeth was mesially fractured.

Forty-four missing women have been positively excluded as being Rancho Cucamonga Jane Doe.[46]

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On July 2, 1979, the skeletal remains of a young white female were discovered in a ravine in Santa Rosa, California. The body of Lori Lee Kursa had been found in the same location seven years earlier. Cause of death could not be ascertained, but is believed to be a homicide as she was found nude and bound. She was estimated to have been dead for three years. She was estimated to be between 16 and 21 years old and was 5 feet 3 inches (1.60 m) tall. She had brown or auburn hair. Weight and eye color could not be ascertained. A metal candy tin was found near the body with a contact lens inside it.

She is believed to be a victim of the unsolved Santa Rosa hitchhiker murders, of which Kursa was also a victim. She was previously believed to be Jeannette Kamahele, but dental records and DNA later disproved this.[47]

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Sketch

On August 29, 1979, the dismembered and decomposed remains of a young white male were discovered in two trash bags and a cardboard box behind a Union 76 gas station in Long Beach, California. His arms had been severed at the shoulders and legs at the hip joints. His head had also been severed. The only parts recovered were the head, left leg and torso. He was estimated to be between 18 and 30 years old, was 6 feet tall and weighed between 140 and 160 pounds. He had brown hair and brown eyes as well as a scar on his left knee and a chipped front tooth. He was found to be sodomized with a sock that still remained in the body. Investigators believe he was a victim of Randy Steven Kraft. [48]

Sketch of Valencia Jane Doe

On January 26, 1980, the skeletal remains of a young white female were found in a riverbed near the Valencia Sewage Treatment Plant in Valencia, California, alongside another female. She had been shot to death and is a confirmed victim of Doug Clark and Carol Bundy. She was estimated to be between 17 and 24 years old, and was between 5 feet 5 inches tall and 5 feet 9 inches tall. She had medium blonde/brown hair. Weight and eye color could not be ascertained. [49]

Reconstruction of Riverside County Jane Doe

The body of a Caucasian female aged twenty to twenty-five was found in a ravine in Riverside County, California on February 16, 1980.[50] The victim had died about a day or two before her discovery. Her height and weight were estimated to be five feet four inches and 120 pounds, respectively. She was found wearing a pair of blue pants, sandals and a tan, long sleeved blouse. Her hair was brown and short, presumed to have been cut recently. Her eyes were hazel and she had two scars on her right arm, one on the lower portion and another on the upper. The victim may have been of high socioeconomic status because of her high-quality clothes and that her fingernails were well cared for.[51]

Two women killed in July 1980 in Kern and Ventura Counties. Chouest was convicted in 2018.[52]

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NCMEC reconstruction

On August 26, 1980, the remains of a girl, known as Jane Doe 18, were found in Newhall, California.[53] The girl, between 15 and 20 years of age, had been shot in the back of the head two months to a year before she was found. It is believed that she was a victim of serial killers Doug Clark and Carol Bundy.[54]

The victim was white, with light brown to blond hair, and was 5 feet 4 to 5 feet 8 inches tall. Because of decomposition, her body was skeletonized. Consequently, her eye color and weight could not be determined. She was wearing a red sweatshirt and had one hoop earring, indicating that she had pierced ears. Four fillings in her teeth and evidence of a previous surgery were found.[55]

Four missing women have been ruled out as a possible identity of the victim.[56]

A day after his death, the body of a young man was found in the Angeles National Forest in Newhall, California, on December 8, 1980. He was between 16 and 25 years of age and was 5 feet 4 to 5 feet 8 inches tall. He weighed 140 to 150 pounds. He may have been Hispanic, as he had dark, curly hair and brown eyes. He had suffered severe wounds that disfigured his features, due to a gunshot to his head and four gunshots to his chest. He was fully clothed when found, wearing black boots, a beige, button-down shirt with matching pants, brown shorts, and white and green socks.[57]

On March 2, 1981, the skeletal remains of a young white female were discovered in Quartz Hill, California. She is a confirmed victim of serial killers Doug Clark and Carol Bundy. She had been shot to death. She was estimated to be between 16 and 25 years old and was 5 feet 3 inches tall. She was recorded to have a high forehead and a slight build. Weight, hair color, and eye color could not be ascertained. Bundy and Clark claimed that her name may have been "Cathy", and that they picked her up in Hollywood. [58]

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Sketch
Approximation of Suspect's shoes

On October 16, 1981, the charred remains of a middle-aged white female were discovered in San Diego County, California. She had been beaten and stabbed to death, and her body had been set ablaze after she died. She was believed to be between 30 and 50 years old, was approximately 5 feet 4 inches tall, and weighed 104 pounds. She had light/medium brown hair. All clothing on her was burned, but she was found to be nude from the waist down. She was a known transient in the area who had been seen by residents nearly every day. She had gained the nickname, "Bag Lady". A shoe print was discovered nearby, suggesting the type of shoes being worn by the suspect being sneakers. [59]

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Sketch

On December 18, 1981, the decomposed remains of a young white female were found in a rural area near State Route 91 in Corona, California. Cause of death was undetermined, however it is being treated as a homicide, as the victim was found in a shallow grave. She was estimated to be between 17 and 21 years old, was 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighed 133 pounds. She had short blonde hair with red tints. The only item found with the body was a gold blanket wrapping it. Serial killer Henry Lee Lucas claimed to have picked her up from Riverside, California and taken her to Corona where he strangled and buried her. As with many of his confessions, this one is believed to be untruthful. [60]

Harley Davidson belt buckle worn by the San Bernardino County John Doe, found in 1983

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NCMEC reconstruction

The body of a teen was discovered inside of a gondola car near Bloomington, San Bernardino County, California on June 20, 1983. The victim, a Hispanic male, aged fifteen to seventeen, was killed by gunshot wounds. A pay stub was found with the body, with the name Ernesto Carillo Aguilar, with the birth date of June 24, 1963. However, authorities could not verify if it was his actual name, which indicates he was using a false name and may have been an undocumented immigrant.[61] The clothing he wore included a white shirt containing the letters NYC with an apple shape, quite possibly a reference to New York City. He also wore loafer shoes and a belt with a brass Harley Davidson buckle.[62] He was five feet eleven inches tall and weighed 146 pounds, with dark brown, straight hair and with scars on his hand, right arm and right shoulder. The victim had been deceased within a day before his discovery.[63]

Necklace worn by the Crescenta Valley Jane Doe

On June 26, 1983, the burned body of a Caucasian female between sixteen and twenty-eight years of age was found inside of an abandoned mobile home, also burned, in Crescenta Valley, Los Angeles County, California.[64] The victim had died less than two hours before her remains were found, yet the body was not recognizable because it had been set afire. Her hair was determined to have been straight and blond and her eyes were brown. The victim's height and weight could not be estimated, but it is believed she was of petite build and at a small height. The victim wore a square pendant on a gold chain and a gold watch.[65] The female was strangled with wire and had been sexually assaulted with a hose, which was still present in the vaginal cavity. A suspect was arrested for her murder and was subsequently convicted. He had allegedly picked the female up earlier that day, sometime in the morning, and also stated he had beaten the victim.[66]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Crescenta Valley Jane Doe.

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NCMEC reconstruction
Sketch

The body of an individual aged 19 to 25, assigned male at birth, was discovered on November 26, 1983 on the Ocean Beach in Half Moon Bay, San Mateo County not long after being murdered.[67] The victim was dressed in women's clothing and wore sponges as false breasts.[68] A silver-colored necklace with a cross pendant and a pair of silver-colored rings were also found with the body.[69] The victim had hazel eyes and short brown hair and stood at a height between 5'10 and 5'11" at a weight of 140 pounds. Strangulation, beating and stabbing were observed on the body. It is possible that the decedent had been picked up from another location and left at the beach.[70]

In 2019, the DNA Doe Project announced they would be analyzing the decedent's DNA to discover potential relatives through genetic genealogy.[71] On October 8, 2019, the body was tentatively identified, which is now pending official confirmation with law enforcement. [72]

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NCMEC reconstruction

An African-American infant's decomposing body was found on August 19, 1985 in an alley in Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California.[73] The child, a girl, was no more than a year old. She was extremely malnourished, which indicated she had been neglected by her caretakers. The girl was two feet two inches tall and weighed fourteen pounds at the time of her death. Her hair and eyes were brown and she had four teeth, which were the central incisors. Despite her severe neglect, both of her ears had been pierced.[74] The baby died from pneumonia and her death was ruled a homicide based on the signs of neglect.[75]

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NCMEC reconstruction of victim

On January 8, 1986, partial human skeletal remains were located in the Santa Clarita Valley, Los Angeles County, California.[76] The decedent is believed to have been female, although the victim may have been male and died between 1985 and 1986. The age of the person was between thirteen and seventeen, although through a dental examination, could have been as old as twenty-two. The person's race may have been Asian or Hispanic, with black hair, standing at four feet nine inches to four feet eleven inches.[77] No traces of dental work were found in the mouth.[78]

A second victim's skull was located near the same area on July 26, 1987. Unlike the previous victim, the skull was positively determined to be that of a female. She had dental fillings present in her teeth and was between thirty and sixty years old. The cause of her death could be due to decapitation. No other remains were ever located.[79][80]

Reconstructions of the San Mateo County Jane Doe

On January 11, 1987, the body of a white female, locally known as Jane Doe 87-37, was located in Daly City, San Mateo County, California. Her body was disposed of on the side of a road, underneath a group of bushes and was discovered by two children riding bicycles.[81] A number of pills, imipramine and desipramine, were found in her body, which she also overdosed on.[82] Although she was strangled, her face had evidence of bruising, she had a cut lip and there were no signs that she used drugs, authorities concluded that she was likely force-fed the medication. The victim was around five feet three inches, 95 to 105 pounds and was approximately twenty-five to thirty years old when she died. She may have carried a child in the past and evidence was present that she had an appendectomy.[83] She had straight, dark brown hair and brown eyes, her right eye may have had a cataract.[84] The clothing the victim wore consisted of a hooded gray jacket with fleece lining, a hooded purple sweatshirt, a pair of brown and white socks, brown shoes and jeans.[85] The shoes the victim wore were believed to have been expensive, despite the fact that she may have been a transient. She wore no jewelry, had no observable dental work, had not shaved underneath her arms or her legs and had dandruff on her scalp. Two packs of cigarettes were found with the body, one of which was full. Before she died, the Jane Doe was seen at a diner, where she purchased the cigarettes, and was witnessed arguing with a man by bystanders across the street. Although the woman's face was recognizable and her DNA, fingerprints and dental information were recovered, she was never identified.[82] Those interviewed by police who had seen the victim had no idea who she was. Several missing people from the area that matched her description were eventually found alive.[81] In 2011, Daly City police noted similarities between the murder of Jane Doe and the modus operandi of serial killer Joseph Naso.[86]

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1987 San Bernardino Jane Doe

The body of a white female with a fair complexion between forty-five and fifty-five years old was located on June 19, 1987 in Colton, San Bernardino County, California.[87] The woman had been shot to death mere hours before her body was found. The victim had short hair that was originally auburn, but was dyed blond and it is believed that she had hazel eyes. She had two moles on her face, one on her right temple and another on the right side of her nose, which was fairly noticeable. Other distinct features the woman had included scars on her wrist, abdomen, and one near each knee. She was approximately five feet one inch and weighed between 132 and 135 pounds. She wore blue pajamas and stud earrings made from a yellow metal. The woman also wore a partial denture on her upper set of teeth.[88]

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Sketch

The body of a woman between twenty-four and thirty-three years old was discovered in Van Nuys, Los Angeles County, California on July 21, 1987. Her body was wrapped in a tarp and some blankets. The body was found weeks afterward. The victim had been strangled and had her arms severed at the elbows, preventing analysis of fingerprints. She had brown hair and eyes, had braces at one time in her life and also had some missing teeth and fillings in her mouth. She wore what appeared to be a handmade dress, a bra, slip, underwear and mismatched shoes, one being a high heel and the other an open-toed shoe.[89] The female was about five feet eight inches tall and was at a weight between 110 and 120 pounds. Further physical examination indicated she had been pregnant at one point in life and had consumed cocaine before her murder. It is possible that this case may be linked to serial killings in the area, but authorities are unsure. The female's body was eventually cremated.[90]

1987 Los Angeles County John Doe

A Hispanic man was found stabbed to death on November 22, 1987 in Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California. He had been left on a sidewalk after his murder, which occurred on the same day. The victim was between twenty-five and thirty-five years of age, had brown eyes and black hair. Examiners concluded he was approximately five feet seven inches tall and weighed 130 pounds. DNA and dental information for the victim were never recorded, although his fingerprints were taken and are entered in national databases.[91] The victim had no distinct markers of identification except for a scar on his right arm.[92]

On March 4, 1988, the partial skeletal remains of a middle-aged white or Hispanic male were found on State Route 1 in a rural agricultural area in Clarksburg, California. The skull, right femur, left tibia and fibula, left iliac bone, and various other small bones were recovered. Cause of death was found to be blunt force trauma to the head, and the man may have been deceased for up to two years. The man was estimated to be between 40 and 60 years old and was 5 feet 4 inches. He had short, fine, dark brown or black hair. Eye color and weight could not be ascertained. Rope was also observed to be tied around one of the leg bones. A reconstruction was released, and workers at a ranch in the local area claimed to identify the man, however no positive identification was made. [93]

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Bracelet

On March 22, 1989, the skeletal remains of a young African American (with white/Hispanic admixture) female were discovered wrapped in a floral print bedspread in some shrubs in Pacifica, California. She had been strangled to death elsewhere and then deposited at the scene. She was estimated to be between 18 and 30 years old, was approximately 5 feet 6 inches tall, and weighed between 110 and 120 pounds. She had short, curly, reddish-brown hair. Her teeth were noted to have some fillings as well as mild decay. She was found wearing a red and white bikini bottom, a light colored T-shirt with a picture of Betty Boop standing on a grid, and a white metal cuff-like bracelet which appeared handmade.

Authorities noted that she may be a victim of Morris Solomon Jr., due to the similar circumstances in which she was found. She was exhumed in 2011 for DNA analysis. [94]

Sketch of the 1988 Santa Ana Jane Doe

A Hispanic woman's body was found on March 31, 1988 in Santiago Park, Santa Ana, Orange County, California.[95] Her death was by murder, as she had been stabbed multiple times in the face and once in the neck and later decapitated with the sawing motion of a blade.[96] The body was discovered first, lacking a head. When investigators later returned to the site after four days, the head was located, believed to have been placed there after the body was removed. She was Hispanic, possibly native to the southwestern part of the country or Mexico, judging by an examination of her teeth. The victim was a young woman, presumed to be between twenty-two and twenty-eight years old, although she could have been as young as twenty. The body was clothed, with a yellow sweater, white pants, white shoes. She may have had a laparoscopy, as a scar was located on her stomach.[97] She was estimated to be between five feet three inches to five feet five inches tall at a weight of 130 pounds. She had nine-inch long black hair.[98][99] The case was reopened in April 2015, in hopes to identify the victim and solve her murder.[100]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Santa Ana Jane Doe (1988).

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Sketch

On May 14, 1989, the body of a young white female was discovered by a surfer, tangled up in a barbed-wire fence along the Pacific Coast Highway in Corona Del Mar, California. Cause of death was found to be strangulation, and her body had been recently deposited at the location. She was estimated to be between 25 and 35 years old, was 5 feet 2 inches tall and weighed 158 pounds. She had bleached blonde hair and hazel eyes. She was also described as having a stocky build with pierced ears and painted fingernails. She also suffered from scoliosis. Her teeth were found to be in poor condition. She was found wearing a white tank-top, a short red skirt, a pair of pantyhose and a single white sneaker. Toxicology tests revealed nothing in her system and her fingerprints were run through California's "Cal ID" database with no results. Despite a sketch of the woman being advertised to local newspapers, nobody came forward with her identity. Investigators do not believe she was a transient. [101]

1989 Los Angeles County Jane Doe illustrated with curly hair

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NCMEC reconstruction

A Hispanic female, who suffered trauma to the head, was found lying on her back, deceased, in an alley on May 25, 1989 in Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California. The girl was believed to be between the ages of twelve and fifteen when she died hours before her discovery due to an undisclosed cause. The height and weight of the female were estimated to be five feet three inches and 124 pounds, respectively. Her hair was either black or dark brown and her eyes were also brown. The texture of her hair is disputed, as some sources state she had curly hair and others claim it was straight.[102]

Despite her young age, she had multiple tattoos: an "oval or diamond" shaped design around the letters "p," "o," "h" and "s" along with another on the back of her upper right leg.[103] The tattoos were hard to read and probably homemade.[104] The girl wore a blue shirt that read "Somebody in California Loves Me," dark blue but faded jeans, a tan bra, white or green underwear, white socks and black shoes with some red. She also wore jewelry that included a ring with a lion decoration, a ring with a light blue stone along with earrings, a bracelet adorned with pendants and a necklace.[104]

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Necklace

On February 10, 1990, a young woman's body was found by two men in Colfax, Placer County, California. She was between sixteen and twenty-six years old at the time of her death, which is believed to have occurred while she was hiking, three to six months before.[105] She was around four feet ten to five foot three inches with an estimated weight range of 120 to 150 pounds, at an average or overweight build. She could have been biracial, of white and Hispanic ancestry and she had dark brown hair with a reddish tint. Her jewelry included three earrings on her left ear and a pearl necklace, along with two mother of pearl rings. She may have been diabetic, as two insulin syringes were found near the corpse.[106] A presumably homemade tattoo was found on her chest of a cross and she had two scars, possibly from removing cysts from her lower back and right breast. The victim wore blue shorts, a sleeveless shirt and a pair of new sneakers, which were white. Her cause of death is unknown but is suspected to be homicide.[107]

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Sketch

On October 4, 1990, the body of a white/Hispanic/Oceanic female was found by children walking to school, rolled up inside of a carpet in Garden Grove, California. Cause of death was found to be strangulation, and the body was then placed into the carpet post-mortem. She was believed to have been discovered shortly after the body was dropped off at the location. She was estimated to be between 25 and 30 years old, was 5 feet 3 inches tall and weighed 179 pounds. She had brown-shoulder length curly hair and brown eyes. She was also of an obese build and had most likely given birth at least once in her life. She was found wearing a sleeveless black blouse over a pink tank top and acid-washed blue jeans. Investigators believe she may have possibly been an immigrant from Mexico, South America or the Pacific Southwest. Despite numerous announcement to various Spanish-speaking news outlets, nobody came forward with information. Investigators are looking for leads to a person that the decedent may have had a connection to with the name 'Steve Glick'. [108]

The San Diego County John Doe may have been native to Vietnam

A young man was struck in the back of his head with a two-by-four on September 8, 1991 in San Diego, California. The man died later that day. He was between seventeen and twenty-nine years old and was five feet eight inches at a weight of 112 pounds. He had dark hair and brown eyes and may have spoken to doctors in Vietnamese, although it is not certain if this was true. At the time of death, he wore a long-sleeved shirt with a plaid design and a white undershirt. It has not been published if he wore anything other than these two garments.[109][110]

1991 Los Angeles County Jane Doe

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NCMEC reconstruction

On September 11, 1991, the body of a Hispanic female was located in the Green Meadows Park in Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California, hours after her death. The victim was between fifteen and twenty years of age at the time of her murder and was five feet two inches at a weight of 170 pounds when she died. The girl had wavy dark brown to black hair reaching past her shoulders and had brown eyes. After examining her teeth, it was discovered that one of her upper teeth had an infection that would likely be painful, which may have caused visible distress to the Jane Doe.[111] The victim's skin on her abdomen had areas with different colors, possibly indicating that she had vitiligo. Clothing found at the scene consisted of a white shirt with blue stripes, shorts made from denim, a white bra, socks and hiking boots reaching the ankles.[112] Marks and tan lines near her eyes indicated that she may have worn some sort of eyeglasses before her death.[113] Scars on her body included ones on her collar bone, right lower leg and on her left knee.[114]

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NCMEC reconstruction of older victim
NCMEC reconstruction of younger victim

The Los Angeles County John Does may have died after participating in a gang exercise.

Two Hispanic teenage boys were shot at a bus stop on July 19, 1992. The older victim, estimated to be between seventeen and nineteen years old, wore a T-shirt, jeans and tennis shoes and had a scar on both of his thighs and one of his hips. The boy also had a small amount of facial hair and had a darker complexion than his companion. He stood at five feet six inches and weighed 170 pounds.[115][116][117] His age was initially believed to have been between thirteen and sixteen.[118] The other victim was between fourteen and seventeen years old and was of the same height, but weighed 128 pounds; his hair was somewhat longer than the other victim. He wore jeans and tennis shoes, like the older male, but wore a Casio watch and a scar was observable on one of his forearms. This victim died the same day he was found, but the other lived until July 20.[119][120] His original age estimation was between twelve and sixteen.[121] The two males allegedly died after a gang initiation took place.[122]

Reconstruction of the 1992 Los Angeles County Jane Doe

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On December 9, 1992, the body of a Hispanic female was discovered inside of several trash bags in South Central Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California. Despite being four feet six inches tall, her age was estimated to between fourteen and twenty-five years old. She wore a white shirt and skirt, two silver-colored rings on her right hand, a black belt, a purple slip and was found barefoot. She was of medium complexion and build, weighing 127 pounds. The cause of her death was multiple stab wounds.[123][124][125]

Three women, presumably prostitutes, who were possibly killed by Keith Hunter Jesperson during August 1992 and September 1994.[126]

Artist sketch of what Tujunga Jane Doe may have looked like in life. Sketch by Marilyn Droz.

The victim, estimated to have been between 14 and 24 years old, was located on August 7, 1994 at 11:25 pm. She had been strangled and set on fire. She was found lying in a vacant dirt parking lot 60 feet north of La Tuna Canyon Road in the Sunland-Tujunga neighborhood in Los Angeles County, California. A passerby noticed what they thought was a pile of trash on fire, stopped to kick some dirt on it and realized it was actually a body. By the time firefighters arrived at the scene, her body was partially burned. She had been deceased for several hours prior to discovery. Detectives suspect that she was strangled somewhere else before her body was dumped and set on fire. The fire was an attempt to hide the identity of the victim.

She is believed to have been Hispanic, possibly Asian (Filipina), White/Caucasian, or Admixed. She is estimated to have been 5'2" – 5'6" tall and weighed approximately 133 pounds. She had black, shoulder-length hair that was tied back with a rubber band. She was wearing a medium-length dark brown “New Born Free” wig. She had brown eyes. She had a ¾" horizontal scar on her forehead, just above her right eyebrow. She had small moles across the entirety of her forehead. She had extensive dental work, with at least ten fillings and restorations. She had a gap between her two front teeth, gaps between other teeth and some teeth were crooked.

She was wearing tan/brown Levi's slacks (size small), a black and red flower-print blouse or dress (size medium), a white bra (possibly an “A-cup”), white panties, two yellow metal hoop earrings (one in each ear), a yellow metal chain necklace with a medallion depicting Jesus Christ in a crown of thorns, a yellow metal ring on her right pinky finger, and a v-shaped yellow metal ring with a small white stone on her left ring finger. A math book and LA Gear tennis shoes were also found with the remains. It is likely that the victim was Catholic. She is sometimes referred to as Jane Doe #41.

The case is handled by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner. Her dental charts and fingerprints are available for comparison to missing persons. There is insufficient DNA for profiling.[127][128][129][130][131]

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On October 24, 1994, the body of a white female was found near Thousand Palms, Riverside County, California. She was elderly, at an age between sixty-five and eighty years old upon the time of her murder. She had been wrapped in plastic that was then secured with a brown cord that was partially concealed in the sand at the scene. The woman was approximately five feet four inches tall, although her weight could not be estimated due to decomposition. The woman had no teeth, but had worn dentures that were found with her body. However, these did not assist with the investigation as they lacked a brand name or a serial number. The woman wore blue shorts, a red shirt and a pair of underwear, but no shoes. She had brown and gray short hair and an eleven-inch scar on her abdomen that had healed.[132] She also suffered from Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and Arteriosclerotic heart disease.[133]

One of the charms found with the body of the San Joaquin County Jane Doe

The body of a woman was found on March 29, 1995, in Holt, San Joaquin County, California inside of a refrigerator bound with rope near a road. She had been murdered by a blow to the head with a blunt object around a year before she was found. The body was covered with a sleeping bag as well as a quilt. She was twenty-nine to forty-one years old and was five feet five to five feet seven inches at a weight of 110 to 130 pounds. She was white with strawberry-blond hair, had manicured nails and jewelry, including a wedding ring. She also possibly wore a charm necklace, as remnants of a leather band were located in her pocket. She wore a blue sweatshirt, denim shorts, a tee shirt, a bra, knee-high socks with various colors and expensive boots. It is believed that the refrigerator with her remains originated from elsewhere in California and likely floated along a levee to the location it was found.[134] It has been suggested by Assistant Sheriff John Huber that she might've been a victim of serial killer Terry Peder Rasmussen.[135]

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Sketch of first victim
3D reconstruction of second victim

The bodies of two Hispanic men were discovered in July 1997 in Gilroy, Santa Clara County, California. The first victim's torso was found severely decomposed on July 16; his skull was also later found. He was between thirty and fifty years of age. His clothing included a Nike shirt and jeans. A second man was found on July 31 and was fifteen to forty years old. Both men were between five feet five and five feet seven inches and may have been killed by asphyxiation. It is also believed that they were disposed of in a sewer line, which lead to the Gilroy Sewage Treatment Plant. They may have been native to Mexico and could have been involved in the drug trade. They likely were murdered on the same day, up to a year prior.[136][137]

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NCMEC Reconstruction
Sketch
Necklace

On December 27, 1998, the skeletal remains of a young white male were found on the steep hillside of a remote mountain area in Boulder Creek, California. Cause of death was found to be stabbing. He had been murdered at the location between three and six weeks prior. He was estimated to be between 16 and 20 years old, was approximately 5 feet 7 inches tall, and weighed between 150 and 160 pounds. He was found wearing a maroon long-sleeved turtle neck shirt, white socks, heavy blue denim pants and a beaded chain necklace. His murder was solved shortly after he was found. The perpetrators involved in the murder claimed that they had killed the man in order to steal his car. They also claimed that his name may potentially be "Eric" and that he was homeless. He was also accompanied by a girlfriend whose name has yet to be determined.[138]

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3D reconstruction
Second 3D reconstruction
Shirt

In Clarksburg, Yolo County, California, a man's body was found on March 4, 1999. He was a victim of homicide, as he was stabbed in the chest. He was killed months before his remains were found, which were so badly decomposed that his race was not possible to estimate. He was fully clothed and placed underneath a sleeping bag next to the Elk Slough estuary. He was between twenty and thirty-five years old and stood around five feet eleven inches tall at a weight of 182 pounds. His clothing included a tee shirt with a green "M," white and blue shoes and a green pair of boxers.[139]

San Diego County Jane Doe

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Digital reconstruction

The body of a Hispanic female was located on August 11, 1999 in Oceanside, San Diego County, California. The victim was between fifteen and thirty-four years old and was between five feet one to five feet three inches tall at a weight of 135 to 143 pounds, having black hair and brown eyes.[140] She was killed by a blow to the head at an unknown location and was then transported to a drainage ditch where her body was then disposed of. She wore a green turtle-neck shirt, blue pants, white socks and white and blue Reebok sneakers. The victim wore her dark and wavy hair in a long braid. She was the mother of at least one child, giving birth a year or less prior to her death. A six-inch scar was found on the outside of her left knee, indicating she had some sort of surgery in the past.[141]

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Sketch

On January 24, 2000, emergency services responded to a fire in an empty lot in San Diego, California. After the fire was extinguished, they discovered the charred remains of a young-middle aged white female, wrapped in cardboard and secured with a rope. Cause of death was found to be multiple stab wounds and strangulation. She was estimated to be between 20 and 40 years old, was between 5 feet 5 inches and 5 feet 10 inches tall, and weighed between 150 and 200 pounds. She had light brown hair and brown eyes. Both hands and a portion of her left calf were missing, most likely cut off to prevent identification. Investigators have followed leads that the woman might possibly be from Arkansas. [142]

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3D Reconstruction
Sketch
Sketch of reported husband

On May 26, 2003, the skeletal remains of a middle aged woman of Zapotec Indian descent was found in a shallow grave near the Shady Rest Campground in The Mammoth Lakes National Forest in Mono County, California. She was estimated to be between 30 and 50 years old, was between 4 feet 6 inches and 5 feet tall, and weighed between 80 and 90 pounds. She had long, black hair and was determined to have had one full term pregnancy. She was found wearing a black bra, a pair of cropped denim spandex pants, black socks, blue leather "Bass" brand shoes, a "Cold Air Design" coat, a "Jacklyn Smith" brand wristwatch, a single gold earring and a necklace/bracelet with small multicolored beads. She was believed to have been hastily buried after being killed by unknown, possibly homicidal means. Isotope testing indicated that she most likely grew up in Northern Mexico or the southwestern US. She was found to have originated from the Zapotec Indian community in Oaxaca, Mexico.

A witness claimed that they had seen the woman in the Forest with her husband, who was belligerent. She appeared to be fearful of him. He was described as a white, heavyset male, who was 5 feet 9 inches tall and weighed between 175 and 200 pounds with brown hair and a bushy mustache. Investigators have stated that her name may be "Barbara Pacheco Santiago". [143]

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Digital reconstruction
Age progression

About ten days after he was suffocated, an infant's body was located on a recycling conveyor belt on February 10, 2004 in Stanton, California. He was likely killed on the day he was born, as his placenta and umbilical cord had not yet been severed from his body. A towel was found nearby with blood on it, which may have been used during the birth and, later, to murder the infant. A newspaper and a plastic bag were also found at the scene. The victim's ethnic background was difficult to determine, but he may have been African-American or Hispanic. His hair was black and curly, and his eyes were gray.[144]

Although he had been dead for over a week, his body was not badly decomposed; his face was still recognizable.[145]

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NCMEC Reconstruction
Profile
"Football Power" Shirt
Adult "Kamikaze" shirt

On May 4, 2004, the skeletal remains of a young, possibly white, male toddler were found inside of a duffel bag in Rancho Bernardo, California, near Interstate 15. Cause of death could not be found, but is presumed to be a homicide based on the circumstances. Various clothing items and a blanket were also found in the duffel bag. He was estimated to be between 2 and 4 years old and had light/medium brown hair. Height, weight, and eye color could not be ascertained. He was found wearing a pair of red warm-up pants with white stripes down the sides, a blue vest with a gray hood with "Football Power" and a yellow football player on the front, a green sweatshirt with "Winter Fever" and a cartoon surfer on the front, a long sleeved red sweatshirt with a cartoon girl with ponytails and pink heart sunglasses printed on the front and a long sleeved tan/black/red casual shirt (adult sized) with "Kamikaze" printed on the front and "Racing Team" printed on the back. The blanket was tan and yellow with a fringe trim. The bag was a green/tan canvas duffel bag with leather handles.

Isotope testing found that the victim's mother had spent much of her pregnancy in the southeastern US. The child had likely spent the first year of his life there. A $1000 USD reward is currently being offered for information on the case. He is known as "Baby Doe" to investigators. [146]

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NCMEC reconstruction

The burning body of a man aged twenty-five to forty was found near a road on May 8, 2006 in Yermo, San Bernardino County, California. He was presumed to have died approximately one to three hours prior to his discovery. He was a white or Hispanic male at a height of five feet seven inches and a weight of around 140 pounds. Due to the amount of time his remains had been on fire, little clothing survived and his features could not be recognized. However, his DNA, fingerprints and dental information were obtainable.[147] Although he was an adult, two of his teeth had not yet emerged.[148]

On March 29, 2007, a fisherman was spearfishing in a slough on the south side of County Road 22, east of the city of Woodland, California. The fisherman speared a metal cooler, which he then pulled to shore. Inside the cooler, he found the remains of a male baby, aged between one and three months of age. The baby was wearing a disposable diaper, wrapped in a Winnie the Pooh blanket, then in plastic. The ice chest also contained pieces of metal brake rotors, a brick, and numerous metallic fragments. Before his death, the infant had suffered numerous fractures to various portions of his body. He also suffered from porotic hyperostosis. There was also a perimortem fracture to the left tibia[149][150]

The Irvine Jane Doe was six feet tall at the age of thirteen to twenty-six.

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NCMEC reconstruction

In Irvine, Orange County, California, the partially burned body of an African-American female was found on September 5, 2009 in a Pasternack Enterprises parking lot. The victim died less than a day before she was found; her face had not been damaged from the flames and her fingerprints, DNA and dental information were all recovered. She was tall at the age of thirteen to twenty-six, at six feet tall at a weight of 152 pounds.[151] The victim wore a pair of animal-print shorts, a black shirt and distinct high-heels that had a zipper in the front. She also may have worn a black bra, which was burned. She had brown eyes and short to medium-length curly, dark hair. Twenty-nine missing people have been ruled out as the decedent.[152] Her face was reconstructed by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, although the reconstruction erroneously illustrated the girl with shoulder-length hair.[153]

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Backpack containing the head of the 2010 San Bernardino County Jane Doe

In Barstow, San Bernardino County, California, the severed head of a Hispanic female was found concealed in a backpack on February 10, 2010 on the side of a road. She was between fourteen and nineteen years old with brown eyes and brown, straight hair that was shoulder length. Because her head was all that was located, her fingerprints as well as height and weight information could not be obtained. She had died days before, but was not recognizable due to the injuries she sustained.[154] Through examination, it was found that she had many dental fillings and had received very good dental care, possibly indicating she lived in a high socioeconomic class.[155]

For years, a Humboldt County, California family kayaked past a half-buried white tennis shoe on the bank of the Eel River. One of their trips occurred on October 30, 2012. When the family noted a second shoe protruding near the first, the father investigated. When he pulled one of the Pro Wing shoes from the dirt, a foot came with it. The family then called the Mendocino County Sheriff's Department to the site, the 83000 block of Hwy 271, Piercy, CA.[156]

Once a Halloween prank was ruled out, the skeletal remains were deemed to belong to a homicide victim. They were examined by CSU Chico's Human Identification Laboratory. The remains were determined to be have been buried for several years; they were of a white male 25 to 45 years old, with a stature of 5 feet 11 inches to 6 feet 5 inches. Associated with the remains, besides the shoes, were a rusty jack knife, long underwear pants, and a T-shirt. DNA testing was requested. So was botanical testing on roots intertwined with the bones. However, the best lead for identification is the T-shirt; it was imprinted with "Before I started working here I drank, smoked, and used foul language for no reason at all. But thanks to this job, I now have a reason."[157][158]

• List of unidentified murder victims in the United States

Wikimedia Commons has media related to unidentified murder victims.

• The Doe Network
• National Center for Missing and Exploited Children
• National Missing and Unidentified Persons System