Crime Solvers Central
Crime Solvers Central
298 Cases Solved. Advancing justice for missing persons, unsolved homicides, unidentified and unclaimed remains.
Lucinda Schaefer missing person case profile photo

Lucinda Schaefer Missing Person Case

Last seen in Redondo Beach, California on Jun 24, 1979

Victim Details

Jan 6, 2010

Jun 9, 2023

Lucinda

Schaefer

63

16

64 inches

115 lbs

White / Caucasian

Female

Jun 24, 1979

Redondo Beach

California

Los Angeles County

26228

California Department of Justice

Confidential

California

Sacramento County

95814

Missing and Unidentified Persons Unit, California

9162103119

State

Law Enforcement

https://www.oag.ca.gov/home

12512-79

California Department of Justice

Blond/Strawberry

Blue

Blue

No

Oct 12, 2026


Area Last Seen:

View Videos (1)

In memory of Lucinda Lynn Schaefer victim of Roy Norris and ...

Case Description

Any updates on this case? Let us know!
Summary based on the NamUs case record (MP4571) and 6 other sources
Lucinda "Cindy" Schaefer, a 16-year-old girl from Torrance, California, was last seen on June 24, 1979, as she walked home from a Christian youth meeting at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church. She never made it to her grandmother's house, where she had been staying. Her family and friends searched for her, but only one of her shoes was found on the roadside. Despite a thorough investigation, Lucinda was never heard from again.

Later in 1979, notorious serial killers Lawrence Bittaker and Roy Norris, also known as the "Toolbox Killers," were arrested. The pair later confessed to abducting, raping, and killing Lucinda. She was their first known victim, and they admitted to dumping her body in a remote gorge, though her remains have never been recovered. Bittaker and Norris went on to abduct and murder several other young women before they were apprehended. Norris testified against Bittaker in exchange for a life sentence, while Bittaker was sentenced to death, though he died in prison in 2019 without being executed.

Lucinda's tragic disappearance remains a haunting case, as her remains have never been located despite the confessions of her killers. Her case highlights the brutality of the duo, who terrorized Southern California during that summer.
Last Seen: Jun 24, 1979

Links to Additional Sources (6)

See any mistakes? Let us know!
  • Missing Person / NamUs #MP4571
  • Lawrence Bittaker and Roy Norris - Wikipedia
  • Lucinda Lynn Schaefer - The Charley Project
  • This accountant's hobby? Identifying missing people through his ...
  • Norris and Bittaker: The Toolbox Killers - Medium
  • In memory of Lucinda Lynn

    • Possible Unidentified Matches (10)

    Unidentified remains cases whose details are consistent with this person, ranked by how closely they compare. Fields that are unknown in either case are left out of the score.

    82%Moderate
    Jane Doe — Los Angeles, California - unidentified case UP4368
    Jane Doe — Los Angeles, California
    UP4368 • Found Aug 30, 1980
    View case
    Sex ✓Female
    Age 100%Est. 12–18 vs 16 when missing
    Race 100%White
    Location 98%17 mi away, same county
    TimingFound 14 months after last seen
    Height 100%5'5"–5'8" vs 5'4"
    Hair 50%Red vs Blond
    82%Moderate
    Jane Doe — Valencia, California - unidentified case UP4389
    Jane Doe — Valencia, California
    UP4389 • Found Jan 26, 1980
    View case
    Sex ✓Female
    Age 95%Est. 17–24 vs 16
    Race 100%White
    Location 91%43 mi away, same county
    TimingFound 7 months after last seen
    Height 100%5'5"–5'9" vs 5'4"
    Weight 100%115–130 lb vs 115 lb
    81%Moderate
    Jane Doe — Long Beach, California - unidentified case UP4124
    Jane Doe — Long Beach, California
    UP4124 • Found May 12, 1987
    View case
    Sex ✓Female
    Age 100%Est. 20–25 vs 16 when missing
    Race 100%White
    Location 99%12 mi away, same county
    TimingFound 8 years after last seen
    Height 100%5'4" vs 5'4"
    Weight 71%143 lb vs 115 lb
    Hair 50%Brown vs Blond
    Eyes 50%Green vs Blue
    81%Moderate
    Jane Doe — California - unidentified case UP4219
    Jane Doe — California
    UP4219 • Found Aug 21, 1984
    View case
    Sex ✓Female
    Age 100%Est. 15–23 vs 16 when missing
    Race 100%White
    Location 98%16 mi away, same county
    TimingFound 5 years after last seen
    Height 100%5'4" vs 5'4"
    Weight 100%105 lb vs 115 lb
    Hair 50%Brown vs Blond
    Eyes 0%Brown vs Blue
    81%Moderate
    Jane Doe — Newhall, California - unidentified case UP4370
    Jane Doe — Newhall, California
    UP4370 • Found Aug 26, 1980
    View case
    Sex ✓Female
    Age 100%Est. 15–20 vs 16 when missing
    Race 100%White
    Location 93%37 mi away, same county
    TimingFound 14 months after last seen
    Height 100%5'5" vs 5'4"
    Hair 50%Brown vs Blond
    80%Moderate
    Jane Doe — Los Angeles, California - unidentified case UP80466
    Jane Doe — Los Angeles, California
    UP80466 • Found Apr 26, 2021
    View case
    Sex ✓Female
    Age 100%Est. 50–60 vs 16 when missing
    Race 100%White
    Location 99%16 mi away, same county
    TimingFound 42 years after last seen
    Height 100%5'3"–5'6" vs 5'4"
    Weight 100%115–130 lb vs 115 lb
    Hair 50%Brown vs Blond
    Eyes 100%Blue vs Blue
    80%Moderate
    Jane Doe — California
    UP10281 • Found Mar 22, 1989
    View case
    Sex ✓Female
    Age 100%Est. 25 vs 16 when missing
    Race 100%White
    Location 98%16 mi away, same county
    TimingFound 10 years after last seen
    Height 100%5'5" vs 5'4"
    Weight 83%94 lb vs 115 lb
    Hair 50%Brown vs Blond
    80%Moderate
    Jane Doe — Van Nuys, California
    UP4117 • Found Jul 21, 1987
    View case
    Sex ✓Female
    Age 100%Est. 24–33 vs 16 when missing
    Race 100%White
    Location 96%23 mi away, same county
    TimingFound 8 years after last seen
    Height 100%5'3"–5'7" vs 5'4"
    Weight 100%120–150 lb vs 115 lb
    Hair 50%Brown vs Blond
    Eyes 0%Brown vs Blue
    80%Moderate
    Jane Doe — California
    UP4193 • Found Sep 10, 1985
    View case
    Sex ✓Female
    Age 100%Est. 17–24 vs 16 when missing
    Race 100%White
    Location 98%16 mi away, same county
    TimingFound 6 years after last seen
    Height 100%5'2"–5'5" vs 5'4"
    Hair 50%Brown vs Blond
    80%Moderate
    Jane Doe — Green Valley, California
    UP4348 • Found Mar 2, 1981
    View case
    Sex ✓Female
    Age 100%Est. 16–25 vs 16 when missing
    Race 100%White
    Location 88%53 mi away, same county
    TimingFound 20 months after last seen
    Height 100%5'3" vs 5'4"

    These comparisons are generated automatically from public NamUs case data and are not confirmed identifications. Only DNA, dental or fingerprint comparison by investigators can confirm an identity. If you believe two cases are connected, contact the agency handling the unidentified case.

    Unidentified photos are blurred because many are post-mortem. Tap a photo to reveal it.

    Latest News

    View All

    Forum Posts (1)

    Has anyone else noticed the eerie parallels between Lucinda "Cindy" Schaefer's disappearance and... ...Read More
    10/21/2023

    Other Missing Cases from Redondo Beach, California

    Andrea Hall missing person case in Redondo Beach, California

    Andrea Hall

    Missing: Jul 8, 1979
    Andrea Joy Hall, 18, was last seen on July 8, 1979, hitchhiking along the Pacific Coast Highway in ...Read More
    Nora Diza missing person case in Redondo Beach, California

    Nora Diza

    Missing: Jun 20, 2017
    Nora Diza, a 57-year-old woman from Redondo Beach, California, was last contacted by a friend on ...Read More
    Tawnya Parker missing person case in Redondo Beach, California

    Tawnya Parker

    Missing: Dec 1, 1999
    Tawnya Fay Parker, a 30-year-old woman, was last seen on December 1, 1999, in Redondo Beach ...Read More
    Alisa Hernandez missing person case in REDONDO BEACH, California

    Alisa Hernandez

    Missing: Jan 14, 2026
    Authorities and family are seeking the public's assistance in locating Alisa Hernandez, a ...Read More
    Patricia Gentle missing person case in Redondo Beach, California

    Patricia Gentle

    Missing: Jan 1, 1973
    Patricia Lorraine Gentle, 33, went missing from Redondo Beach, California, on January 1, 1973. Very ...Read More