RIVERSIDE COUNTY, Calif. (AP) – An unidentified victim of a California serial killer from the 1990s may have ties to Southwest Louisiana, according to cold case investigators using advancements in DNA technology to solve the case.
The victim, one of eight women murdered by Keith Hunter Jesperson, also known as the “Happy Face Killer,” is believed to have been killed in 1992. Jesperson referred to her as Claudia, but investigators suspect that may not be her real name. Her body was found along U.S. 95 in California.
With the help of genetic mapping, investigators have determined that the woman’s maternal side of the family might have connections to or be located in Southwest Louisiana or near the Louisiana-Texas border. They believe she may have had shaggy blonde or brown hair, was 20 to 30 years old, 5′6″ to 5′7″ with a medium build, and weighed around 140 to 150 pounds. She also had two small dots tattooed on her left thumb and wore a motorcycle t-shirt.
Authorities are urging anyone who thinks they may be related to the victim to consider contacting GedMatch for DNA comparisons. Leads can also be reported to the Cold Case Hotline at (951) 955-5567 or by emailing coldcaseunit@rivcoda.org.
The investigation is being led by the Regional Cold Case Homicide Team, which includes the Riverside County Sheriff-Coroner Department, the FBI, and the Riverside Police Department.
The Riverside District Attorney, Mike Hestrin, expressed the importance of giving the victim her identity back and providing closure for her family. He also highlighted the hope that advancements in technology will finally bring the case to a resolution.