The Santa Rosa Hitchhiker Murders | Morbid | Podcast
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- Опубликовано: 28 авг 2024
- On the evening of February 4, 1972, middle school friends Maureen Sterling and Yvonne Weber left their homes with a plan to hitchhike to the Redwood Empire Ice Arena in Santa Rosa, California-it was the last time either girl would be seen alive. Nearly one year later, the bodies of Maureen and Yvonne were discovered at the foot of a steep embankment in a rural part of Santa Rosa, identifiable only by the jewelry Maureen had been wearing the night she left the house.
By the time the remains of Sterling and Weber were discovered, three other young women from the Santa Rosa area had gone missing or been found murdered, all of whom had been seen hitchhiking just prior to their disappearance. In time, law enforcement officials would link Sterling and Weber’s murders to the other three woman discovered in 1972, and three others that occurred in the year that followed, all believed to have been killed by the same man or men.
The Santa Rosa hitchhiker murders, as they’re informally known, are one California’s most perplexing cold cases in the state’s history. In addition to the eight women believed to be victims of the same killer, there are several others who disappeared under similar circumstances and could potentially be additional victims. Although there have been several theories as to who was responsible for the deaths, including Ted Bundy and the Zodiac Killer, there has never been any evidence to positively identify the killer.
Thank you to the brilliant David White, of the Bring Me the Axe podcast, for research!
References
Cook, Stephen. 1975. "Death census--young women, hitchhikers, strangulation." San Francisco Examiner, April 25: 24.
Dowd, Katie. 2022. "Search continues for Bay Area serial killer who murdered at least 7 women and girls." San Francisco Chronicle, March 13.
Fagan, Kevin. 2011. "Ted Bundy a suspect in Sonoma County cold cases." San Francisco Chronicle, July 7.
Johnson, Julie, and Randi Rossmann. 2011. "40-year-old mystery." Press Democrat, July 29: 1.
LaFever, Matt. 2022. 49 years ago, a southern Humboldt woman was killed on her way home for Christmas. July 21. Accessed March 13, 2024. mendofever.com....
Press Democrat. 1974. "FBI says nylon rope little help in slaying investigation ." Press Democrat, January 10: 3.
-. 1972. "Female hitchhikers and the pain of Kim's mother." Press Democrat, April 27: 1.
-. 1972. "Femnale hitchhikers and the pain of Kim's mother." Press Democrat, April 27: 1.
-. 1972. "Hitchhiking SRJC coed is missing." Press Democrat, April 27: 1.
-. 1972. "Lawmen say woman's killer could be injured." Press Democrat, March 9.
-. 1972. "Slain woman was tortured; no identity yet." Press Democrat, March 8.
Reid, James. 1973. "$2,000 offered in death of girls." Press Democrat, January 3: 1.
-. 1973. "Another slain girl found east of SR." Press Democrat, August 1: 1.
-. 1973. "Who is the slain girl found off county road?" Press Democrat, August 2: 1.
-. 1975. "Zodiac theory doubted." Press Democrat, April 24: 1.
Rossmann, Randi. 1989. "Police don't like to give up on slayings." Press Democrat, March 5: 1.
Saludes, Bony. 1973. "Bodies identified as two missing SR girls." Press Democrat, Janaury 1: 1.
Sonoma County Sheriff's Office. 1972. Female Homicide Victims Report (Santa Rosa Hitchhiker Murders). Law enforcement, Santa Rosa, CA: Sonoma County Sheriff's Office.
United Press International. 1973. "Officers seek link in deaths of 5 girls." Los Angeles Times, August 17: 3.
Volkerts, Art. 1972. "Secret witness--can you help solve a crime?" Press Democrat, December 27: 1.
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I love love love u guys!! Just listened to the Santa Rosa hitchhiker murders episode - twice actually. For some reason I can't get Rodney Alcala (the dating game killer) out of my mind. He kept earrings as souvenirs and liked that age range. He didn't live too far away either. There were an astronomical amount of photos of women who were not all able to be located.
Anyways just a thought.
I don't see where you have done an episode on him and I know you love to do some sleuthing 🥰
Thank you for such a wonderful show!!!
My roomie and I thought we dodged this bullet back in '74 when we declined a ride from a suited guy in a red car while hitching on Bennett Valley Road near Sonoma Mountain Road. We all had a rule not to accept a ride from an older man (over 30; we were only 19) in a suit out on the rural roads. This guy had "creep" written all over him, and having recently learned of a murdered girl found in the area, we immediately lied to the guy that we were just goofing off and were walking over to the fire station where our dads worked. He sped off, and we high-tailed it to the fire station and used their phone to call a friend to pick us up. We told the fireman on duty about the guy, and instead of taking it seriously he berated us for being hippies. Never hitchhiked again.
Also, if we had DNA from the first victim, why hasn't it been tested against the professor who died in the car accident and the man who died in prison, or the stepgrandfather?
Love your podcast thanks for all your hard work!
Morbid is so good you all are amazing and roll models keep it real ❤ 😊
I lived in Santa Rosa for six years and never heard of this! Those poor girls.
Love you both!! 💚💙💜
I have always wondered if maybe Lawrence Singleton could have anything to do with it. I don’t think Mary Vincent was his first victim at all and he threw her down a culvert
I thought of him too! He wasn't too far away from Santa Rosa
Amazing, as always
Appreciate the info about what ghost is cause I did start last week and had no clue
Hey, you guys talked about the missing earrings?.a couple of the Trailside killers victims were missing one earring. Just saying
I wish every celeb had a cameo
Do the new murders on the trail recently have anything to do with the hitchhiker murders?
Has the sheriff been looked at as a suspect?
I grew up in Santa Rosa and despite being ruled out my law enforcement I as well as other people I know theorized that Ted Bundy is the hitchhiker murderer.
Take me back to the first night we met
Anyone know Where the Sam and Colby episode is? I couldn’t find it on their channel!
56:39 rochester NY? I live there I need to listen to that episode asap 56:56
The poison is actually spelled "strychnine" nine being pronounced like the number.
Not if you live in the UK or Australia.
Omggg I live in rochester ny
Haha bee hee
I say it's a main serial killer with copycats. The main serial killer is the one who leaves the single earring behind and the copycat kills the ones without the earrings. Awful, regardless, period.
U guys are doing a great job, bravo. but why can't u go straight to the goddamn story!! 40% of every episode is just u two talking and being completely out of content!!