Back in 1976, five young girls' bodies were discovered in so-called wooded areas in the state of California. The victims all had some similarities such as brown hair, car trouble before they were murdered, and lack of witnesses and forensic evidence.
It all started on January 8, 1976, when Veronica Cascio disappeared and her body was found by a 16-year-old boy nude, stabbed 30 times, and found in a creek on Sharp Park golf course in Pacifica.
A few weeks later, a 14-year-old girl by the name of Tatiana Blackwell had disappeared while running errands. Her body was found on June 6th at Sharp Park golf course. She had been stabbed to death as well. Investigators figured out that whoever murdered Blackwell must have known the area in which they murdered her very well.
Paula Baxter, a 17-year-old girl who went missing on February 4, was also stabbed and sexually assaulted. According to Wikipedia, she had her head hit with a piece of concrete as well. Her body was found behind a church in Millbrae. According to a forensic test, investigators had linked her murder to Cascios.
The fourth murder was one by the name of Carol Lee Booth who was last seen walking home from a bus stop in San Francisco. Her body was found near a creek stabbed to death. She was a 26-year-old woman at the time.
Lastly, one of the other bodies that were found near the area was Denise Lampe. She was a 19-year-old girl who loved her car. Lampe's body was discovered after searching in a parking lot near a super-regional shopping mall.
Investigators started to connect some of these murders and started to try and put the puzzle pieces together. According to Wikipedia, they were a lack of witnesses and evidence that kept these investigations from being pushed forward faster.
Looking at other unsolved cases and as the years went on, technology advances grew too. The new technology advancements allowed the DNA to be tested again and that was taken from the murder. This time, it seemed to be looked at in a different view.
In 2014, the FBI reopened the Gypsy Hill murders and retested some DNA taken from a cigarette butt that was at the scene of the murders. In addition, investigators matched semen taken from some of the murder victims. Thankfully, there was a male link connection. The victim's DNA was all linked to the suspect.
Lo and behold, a man by the name of Rodney Halbower emerged. Halbower was born and raised in Michigan. He was known as a bully, and antisocial, and he was sent to an institution for juveniles back when he was a young boy.
As the years progressed with Halbower, he started acting out and he attacked a girl by beating and raping her in 1975. He was arrested for this and released on bail. Eventually, he received life in prison.
During those years in jail, he learned to become an escapee.
In 1977, he escaped and was recaptured and faced trial for fleeing while receiving a six-year sentence for this breakout. Again in 1977, he escaped again and was re-captured in 1978. He was tried again and escaped again where he stole a car and drove to Oregon while he was out. While he was in Oregon, he raped and stabbed a girl but she survived.
Halbower was arrested in 1987 for this and he was convicted for the rape and assault of that young girl. She was able to identify who he was.
While in jail, there was a blood sample taken from him. The blood sample came back and results linked him to the murders in California.
On January 22, 2015, Halbower was charged with the murders of Veronica Cascio and Paula Baxter.
Finally, there was a suspect that could potentially give closure to the families of the Gypsy Hill murders.
Halbower tried to represent himself but the judge found him too incompetent to do that. He was extradited to California for the three murders and pled not guilty. The trial was delayed.
On August 20, 2018, Rodney Halbower was found guilty of the murders of Cascio and Baxter. He was sentenced to two life sentences.
The families of Tonya Blackwell and Carol Lee Booth are still holding out for hope to have closure on the murders of their daughters. As of right now, investigators believe that Rodney Halbower has committed the murders but there is not enough evidence to charge him.
Therefore, for now, this case is still not fully solved. Hopefully, one day the system will find a way to give these families the peace they deserve.
Written By: Heidi
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