Artistic renderings of the victim by NCMEC; previous sketch. To view postmortem photographs of the victim, please click photo 1 and photo 2 (Please note, the second image was taken after the body was embalmed).
Artistic renderings of the victim by NCMEC; previous sketch. To view postmortem photographs of the victim, please click photo 1 and photo 2 (Please note, the second image was taken after the body was embalmed).
Date of Discovery: July 18, 1980
Location of Discovery: Weslake, Ventura County, California
Estimated Date of Death: 12 hours prior
State of Remains: Recognizable face
Cause of Death: Homicide by stabbing and strangulation
Estimated Age: 15-30 years old
Race: Native American and Hispanic, with small amounts of Sub-Saharan African and Asian ancestry.
Sex: Female
Height: 5'1" to 5'3"
Weight: 110 to 115 lbs.
Hair: Black, shoulder-length with bleached tips. Penciled brows 1/4" above natural, which were shaved.
Eye Color: Brown
Distinguishing Marks/Features: Four-to-five months pregnant with a boy; evidence of prior pregnancies; episotomy scar present. Heavy mascara applied to eyelashes. Red polish on finger and toenails. Mole on back of left hand, below the index finger; other birthmarks were visible on her face. Two vaccination scars on left upper arm. Small ovoid scarring on left knee. Pierced ears. Scar on right buttock.
Dentals: Available. Extensive dental work. Teeth #24 and #25 mesial lingual rotation.
Fingerprints: Available
DNA: Available.
Clothing: White pullover short sleeve shirt, black bra, white underwear, and red corduroy pants. Black high-heeled open-toe shoes were found near the body.
Jewelry: Unknown.
Additional Personal Items: Unknown.
A Westlake High School employee found the body of a pregnant woman in the school parking lot at 100 Lakeview Canyon Road. The woman had been raped, strangled and stabbed to death. Evidence suggests she was killed at another location.
Investigators believe she may have been from Kern County or the San Fernando Valley.
In 2015, DNA results from scrapings of her fingernails and clothing linked the woman and 59UFCA (discovered in Kern County) to Wilson Chouest, a 63-year-old, who was already in prison. He did not apparently know the victims. He was charged with the murders of the adult victims and this victim's unborn son.
A guilty conviction was reached for the two women. The charges relating to the death of this victim's unborn son were dropped, as a result of law changes taking place in 1994.
The same year, the DNA Doe Project took both cases. Analysis of her DNA suggested she was 60% Native American; mostly apparent on her mother's side. She likely had a Hispanic father, and small amounts of Sub-Saharan African and Asian traits were also observed. Very distant cousins of this woman were identified in various regions of the United States and Central America. The organization released the following surnames in relation to the geographic locations of the woman's family members:
Southern Texas (between San Antonio and Brownsville) and Northeastern Mexico: "Bermea," "Cantu," ''Casares'', "DeLeon," "Garcia," "Garza," Gonzalez," "Guerra-Canamar," "Guevara," "Leal," "Quintanilla," "Robles," "Talamantes," "Tijerina," "Treviño," "Vela," "Villarreal" and ''Zuñiga''.
Northern New Mexico and Southern Colorado: "Cordova," "Gallegos," "Martin-Serrano," "Martinez," "Montoya," "Peralta," and "Romero."
California: "Rios," "Uribes," "Soto," "Lara," and "Romero."
Central Mexico: "Aguirre," "Alvarez," "Arriaga," "Ayala," "Bañuelos," "Chavez," "Escobedo," "Esquivel," "Perez," "Rubio," "Sustaita," and "Zavala."
Guatemala: "Lopez."
Agency Name: Ventura County Sheriff's Department
Agency Contact Person: Det. Kevin Bernzott
Agency Phone Number: 805-383-8704
Agency E-Mail: N/A
Agency Case Number: 80-12246
Agency Name: Ventura County County Medical Examiner's Office
Agency Contact Person: Janelle Payne
Agency Phone Number: 805-641-4400
Agency E-Mail: N/A
Agency Case Number: 0780-80
NCIC Case Number: U1214298
NamUs Case Number: 11249
NCMEC Case Number: 11249
Former Hot Case Number: 859
NamUs
NCMEC
DNA Doe Project
DNA Doe Project (Facebook)
Wikipedia
Thousand Oaks Acorn
KTLA 5 News
NBC Los Angeles
ABC 23 News
Kern Golden Empire
KGET News
Daily News of Los Angeles News Archive
ABC News Archive
Added: 12/16/07; Last Updated: 4/21/20
Questions or comments? Please contact appropriate member of the Area Team
** Listed information may be estimated.
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