Pittsburg Serial Murders

Overview

The Pittsburg serial murders refer to a chilling series of homicides that claimed the lives of one man and four women in Pittsburg, California, during the tumultuous period of late 1998 and early 1999. At the time, Pittsburg was grappling with a notably high crime rate, which, alongside these brutal killings, sparked intense public outcry and media frenzy for justice. Despite an extensive investigation that included the FBI and a substantial reward of $50,000 offered by then-California Governor Gray Davis, the murders remain unsolved to this day.

Timeline of Murders

Between November 9, 1998, and January 9, 1999, a series of five murders took place, all believed to be the work of a single perpetrator. Here's a closer look at each victim and the circumstances surrounding their deaths:

Michael Tan (27)

The first victim was Michael Tan, whose lifeless body was discovered in a ditch on the outskirts of North Parkside Drive on November 9, 1998. Investigators found that Tan had been brutally beaten before being drowned in the ditch, approximately six hours before his body was located. A resident of Concord, Tan had no apparent ties to Pittsburg, raising questions about why he was targeted. A search of his apartment revealed signs of a struggle, suggesting that Tan was likely at home during a robbery gone wrong. He stands out as the only male victim in this tragic series.

Lisa Diane Norrell (15)

Just a few days before Tan's body was found, Lisa Diane Norrell, a 15-year-old girl, went missing on November 6, 1998, after leaving a quinceañera rehearsal class in nearby Antioch. Tragically, her body was discovered on November 14, near a landscaping business along the highway connecting Pittsburg and Antioch. The cause of death was determined to be strangulation, adding another layer of horror to the unfolding mystery.

Jessica L. Frederick (27)

Next was Jessica L. Frederick, a 27-year-old sex worker, whose remains were unearthed on December 5, 1998, in an auto wrecking yard at the intersection of Harbor Street and Industry Road. Frederick had been viciously stabbed to death, with her body discarded next to a road lined with truck repair shops and salvage yards. Her murder marked a disturbing escalation in violence.

Rachael Cruise (32)

Rachael Cruise, aged 32, was reported missing after being last seen on the evening of December 13, 1998. Her body was found just two days later in a ditch off California Avenue, and like Norrell, she had also been strangled. Known to struggle with addiction, Cruise often associated with individuals in the sex trade. On the same day her body was found, another sex worker was discovered severely beaten in a portable toilet in nearby Bay Point. She provided a limited description of her assailant, claiming he was a Hispanic male driving a dark Chevrolet Monte Carlo.

Valerie Dawn "China" Schultz (27)

The final victim was Valerie Dawn "China" Schultz, whose body was found on January 8, 1999, in a desolate ditch in the wastelands of Pittsburg. Schultz's life had been tumultuous; she had lived in Bay Point before moving to Waubun, Minnesota, and had recently returned just a week prior to her death. Witnesses reported seeing her getting into a four-door car with faded brown paint, notable for its loud muffler. The driver was described as a dark-skinned man, possibly Hispanic or Samoan, between 30-40 years old, weighing over 100 kg, and sporting thick, wavy hair.

Investigation

The investigation into Lisa Norrell's murder yielded a crucial witness who claimed to have seen her walking alongside a man shortly after her departure from the quinceañera rehearsal. This led to the arrest of Garry Lee Walton, 39, and David Michael Heneby, 24, both unemployed men from Antioch, in early January 1999.

In the wake of Norrell's murder, Governor Gray Davis's $50,000 reward for information about the killer heightened public engagement in the case.

In March 1999, Mohammed Ismil Niaz, Frederick's boyfriend, was arrested as a suspect in her murder. He had previously provided blood and hair samples to the police voluntarily, and investigators discovered washed-out blood stains at his apartment. DNA profiling confirmed that the blood belonged to Frederick; however, by 2001, forensic analysis excluded Niaz as the killer of Frederick and the other victims.

Fast forward to 2009, where the suspect list expanded to include Phillip Garrido, who had recently gained notoriety for the kidnapping of Jaycee Dugard. Garrido had a troubling history involving the abduction and sexual assault of young girls in the area. Notably, during the time of the Pittsburg murders, he was employed near the locations where the female victims were discovered. However, after a thorough search of Garrido's home, no evidence was found linking him to these cold cases.

At one point, Mitchell Lynn Bacom, a convicted sex offender linked to the murder of Suzanne Bombardier, was also scrutinized, but no connections were established.

Conclusion

The Pittsburg serial murders remain an unsolved mystery, leaving behind a haunting legacy of loss and unanswered questions. The victims, each with their own stories, highlight the tragic intersections of violence, vulnerability, and the ongoing quest for justice. As investigations continue to evolve and new technologies emerge, there is still hope that the truth behind these horrifying crimes may someday be uncovered.

Sources

• Christopher Heredia, Jason B. Johnson (February 15, 1999). "Boulevard of Bad Dreams / Intractable problems find dramatic expression on Pittsburg's 10th Street". San Francisco Chronicle.
• Judith Prieve, Nate Gartrell (December 28, 2018). "'I'm convinced that you have at least one serial killer': 1998 East Bay killings remain a mystery". Times Herald.
• Maria La Ganga, Maura Dolan, Molly Hennessy-Fiske (August 31, 2009). "Moving here 'because they can'". Los Angeles Times.
• "Blunt Force, Stab Wounds Killed Woman". San Francisco Chronicle. December 9, 1998.
• Charlie Goodyear (December 18, 1998). "Victim Was Choked To Death, Cops Say / Third woman slain in a month in Pittsburg". San Francisco Chronicle.
• Marianne Costantinou (January 10, 1999). "Deaths jar Pittsburg". San Francisco Chronicle.
• "Sketch Made of Suspect In Prostitute Slaying". San Francisco Chronicle. August 3, 1999.
• "Governor Offers Reward In Killing of Lisa Norrell". San Francisco Chronicle. August 17, 1999.
• Ray Delgado (March 23, 1999). "Ex-boyfriend held in Pittsburg death case". San Francisco Chronicle.
• Jaxon Van Derbeken, Kevin Fagan, Wyatt Buchanan (August 29, 2009). "New Garrido search: Prostitute serial killings". San Francisco Chronicle.
• "No Evidence Found Linking Garrido to Unsolved Murders". KNTV. September 2, 2009.
• Robert Salonga (September 1, 2009). "Pittsburg PD: No evidence of cold-case slayings at Garrido home". The Mercury News.
• "Police find no link between Garrido, slayings". NBC News. September 2, 2009.

Original Wikipedia Article