On June 5, 2021, an Oxnard guy used to be arrested for the 1981 homicide of 2 girls. The accused, Thomas Hughes, used to be taken into custody nearest a DNA fit related him to the crime scene. Investigators consider that Hughes worn a hammer to bludgeon his sufferers to loss of life. He’s recently being held with out bail within the Ventura County Prison. The sufferers had been known as Annette Edwards, 28, and Yolanda Johnson, 18. The case remains to be underneath investigation.
An Oxnard guy used to be arrested and charged this while in reference to two 1981 ‘cold case’ homicides through which he’s accused of strangling the younger girls, together with person who used to be raped, shape prosecutors stated. Ventura County.
Tony Garcia, a 68-year-old Army veteran and karate trainer, used to be arrested by way of government on Tuesday and charged with two counts of homicide, in addition to a effective for alleged rape, in line with Ventura County Dist. Atti. Erik Nasarenko.
“This suspect has been hiding in a regular site for over 40 years,” Ventura County Sheriff Jim Fryhoff stated at a press convention Thursday saying the costs.
The arrest is the fruits of a decades-long investigation into the deaths of Rachel Zendejas, who used to be 20 when she used to be killed on January 17, 1981, and Lisa Gondek, 21, who used to be killed in December of the similar yr.
Rachel Zendejas, a unmarried mom of 2 kids, used to be discovered useless on January 17, 1981.
(Ventura County Sheriff’s Administrative center)
Zendejas, a mom of 2, used to be killed nearest an evening out at Camarillo. She had rented babysitters that night time to appear nearest her younger daughters, government stated. The only mom, who used to be taking commercial artwork categories at Oxnard Public School, drove the babysitters to her area and used to be accosted as she walked again to her automobile, investigators stated.
His frame used to be discovered the next morning by way of two supply males, who known as the police. Zendejas’ reason behind loss of life used to be strangulation, and the scientific examiner additionally discovered she have been sexually assaulted, Fryhoff stated.
On December 12 of the similar yr, simply 10 miles away, Lisa Gondek used to be dropped off at her condominium in Oxnard round 1:30 a.m. nearest an evening out with pals, police prominent Jason Benitez stated.
Lisa Gondek, 21, used to be additionally discovered useless nearest an evening out in 1981.
(Ventura County Sheriff’s Administrative center)
An date and a part nearest, a neighbor known as the police to alert them to a fireplace originating from her condominium. Firefighters discovered her frame within the bath and her reason behind loss of life used to be enthusiastic to be strangulation, in line with Benitez.
“Two generations of detectives worked on this case,” Benitez stated of the Gondek homicide. “We have known about this case for many years and are happy to see it closed.”
Regardless of the matching nature of the homicides, the instances weren’t related till 2004, when forensic investigators discovered a hyperlink between the suspect’s DNA profile in each instances. However each instances went chilly once more when detectives ran out of leads.
It took some other 19 years earlier than investigators may just determine Garcia as a suspect within the murders the usage of “genetic genealogy,” which is the founding of people historical past profiles the usage of DNA and standard genealogical modes.
Prosecutors and investigators declined to serve additional details about what led them to Garcia.
Los Angeles Occasions
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