April Ann Cooper, a 7-year-old girl, was last seen on December 13, 1986, near her home at the Woodchuck RV Campground in Rancho, California, located near Temecula. She was on her way to an arcade but never arrived. Earlier that day, she had accompanied her mother to work at a thrift store, and a neighbor, William James Bannister, offered to babysit her. Bannister later claimed he gave her money to go to the arcade, but she never returned.
Bannister, who had a violent past, became the prime suspect. He had previously been convicted of second-degree murder in 1978 and had served five years in prison. Suspicion around him grew when he showed up at a family wedding the day after April disappeared, wearing dirt-covered clothes, and later made cryptic comments to family members. In 1998, Bannister was convicted of April’s murder based on circumstantial evidence and sentenced to life without parole, though her body has never been found.
Despite Bannister's conviction, the mystery of April’s whereabouts remains unsolved, and her family continues to hope for closure. Foul play is strongly suspected due to the circumstances of her disappearance.Last Seen: Dec 13, 1986
