November 25th 2024.
After 45 years of uncertainty and heartbreak, the Gonzalez family in California has finally received some answers. They have been informed by authorities that they believe they have identified the person responsible for their loved one's death. Thanks to the advancements in DNA and forensic genealogy, the Riverside County Sheriff's Office was able to uncover the truth and bring some closure to the family.
It all began on February 9, 1979, when 17-year-old Esther Gonzalez went missing while walking to her sister's house in Banning, California. The next day, her body was found in a snowpack off a highway near Banning. She had been attacked, raped, and bludgeoned to death, leaving her family in shock and mourning. The unidentified man who reported finding her body was described as "argumentative" by deputies.
The man, later identified as Lewis Randolph "Randy" Williamson, was the same person who had called the county sheriff to report the body. He claimed he did not know whether it was a man or a woman. Despite being asked to take a polygraph test, Williamson was cleared of any wrongdoing at the time and the case went cold.
But, the Riverside County detectives did not give up on finding justice for Esther. They continued to investigate for decades, uploading a semen sample from the crime scene into the Combined DNA Index System, but to no avail. It wasn't until 2023, when they sent evidence to a genetic lab in Texas that specialised in forensic genealogy, that they finally had a breakthrough.
Earlier this year, a crime analyst was able to connect the dots and confirm Williamson as the prime suspect. Although he had passed away in 2014, his blood sample from an autopsy was sent to the California Department of Justice, which confirmed it matched the semen sample recovered from Esther's body.
For lead investigator Jason Corey, this case has been a part of his work since the launch of Riverside County's cold case unit five years ago. He understands the emotional toll it has taken on the Gonzalez family and hopes that this development can bring them some closure. Even Esther's older sister Elizabeth, who wrote in an email to CNN, expressed her relief and happiness at the news.
The Gonzalez family, who were left devastated by Esther's tragic death, can now remember her with fondness and peace. She was a shy yet funny and mild-mannered person, and her family will always cherish the memories they have of her. While it is still a terrible tragedy, they are glad to have some closure, even though the person responsible will never face justice. The family would like to thank the Riverside County sheriff's department for their dedication and perseverance in solving this cold case after 40 years.
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