Esther Gonzalez Cold Case Murder Solved in Riverside County
The 1979 cold case murder of 17-year-old Esther Gonzalez in Riverside County, California, has been solved using forensic genetic genealogy. Lewis Randolph "Randy" Williamson, who originally reported finding her body and passed a polygraph test, was identified as the killer through DNA evidence. Williamson died in 2014, so no prosecution will occur.
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Track this story2025
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2025
1 updateInvestigators from the Riverside County Sheriff's Department and Regional Cold Case Task Force sent evidence to Othram Labs, which used new technology to create a DNA sequence to solve Esther Gonzalez's 1979 cold case murder.
via youtube.com
2024
1 update
2024
1 updateThe Riverside County Regional Cold Case Homicide Team announced that DNA evidence from Esther Gonzalez's body matched a blood sample taken during Lewis Randolph "Randy" Williamson's autopsy, confirming him as the rapist and killer.
via cbsnews.com·youtube.com·dnasolves.com·rivcoda.org·latimes.com
1979
3 updates
1979
3 updatesDetectives identified Lewis Randolph "Randy" Williamson as the caller and asked him to take a polygraph test. He agreed and passed, leading investigators to clear him of involvement at the time.
via cbsnews.com·youtube.com·dnasolves.com·rivcoda.org·latimes.com
Lewis Randolph "Randy" Williamson reported finding Esther Gonzalez's body to the Riverside County Sheriff's Station. Deputies noted he was argumentative and couldn't tell if the body was male or female.
via cbsnews.com·youtube.com·dnasolves.com·rivcoda.org·latimes.com
Esther Gonzalez, 17, was attacked and murdered while walking from her parents' house in Beaumont to her sister's house in Banning, California. Her body was found the next day, raped and bludgeoned to death, in a snowpack off Highway 243 near Banning.
via cbsnews.com·youtube.com·dnasolves.com·rivcoda.org·latimes.com
Story began · 47 years, 9 mo ago