Born
9 Apr 1964, Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California

Death
3 Feb 1980, Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California

Tragically, Charles Miranda was one of the victims of California serial murderer, William Bonin who was convicted of the rape, torture and murder of 14 boys and young men between 1968 and 1980. Known as “The Freeway Killer”, he was executed by lethal injection at San Quentin State Prison in 1996. Prosecutors portrayed him as “the most arch-evil person who ever existed.” Although he was found guilty of 14 murders, he confessed to 21 and is suspected of even more.

On February 03, 1980, 15-year-old Charles Miranda had been picked up near the Starwood nightclub along Santa Monica Boulevard. According to Miley, Bonin and Miranda had consensual sex in the van as he drove. Bonin then told Miley that Miranda was going to die. Miley asked why Bonin would not just let him go. Bonin replied, “because he’ll know us and know the van.” Bonin beat, bound, and gagged Miranda, and informed him that he had to be killed due to his earlier robbery. Miranda began begging for his life. Bonin began sexually assaulting Miranda, and Miley unsuccessfully attempted to rape him. Bonin wrapped Charles’s shirt around his neck and using a jack handle, Bonin began twisting the shirt like a corkscrew until Miranda was dead. The autopsy revealed a blunt object had been inserted inside of him. Miranda’s nude body was dumped in an alley. They then drove on to Huntington Beach, seeking other victims.