Death
1 Nov 1979, Kern County, California

Tragically, an unidentified young man 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 November 1, 1979, 18-year-old, Kern County John Doe was abducted and murdered by Bonin and Butts. The unidentified boy was described to have brown hair, whom Bonin claimed to be 5 ft 6 in tall. At some point, Bonin allegedly said to the man about to die was “your folks paid us to find you and kill you.” The two beat him, and Bonin strangled him to death before inserting an ice pick into his head. The victim was discovered along an empty irrigation ditch along US Highway 99 near Taft, California, south of Bakersfield. Law enforcement believe William Bonin is responsible. Bonin, and one of his accomplices Vernon Butts did confess their involvement in his murder and Bonin believed that the victim was around 23 and also admitted to stabbing the victim with an ice pick through the ear and nostrils prior to killing him. Although Bonin was charged with this victim’s murder, the charge was dropped when Butts committed suicide on January 11, 1981, as his testimony was needed in court.