Cedric Horn, a 77-year-old retired dentist, was last seen on March 7, 1986, when he departed from his residence in Santa Ana, California. He was embarking on a business trip to Northern California, with an initial plan to visit his daughter in Oregon afterward. However, Horn later contacted his daughter to inform her that he had changed his plans and would be returning directly to Santa Ana. He was never heard from again, and his family officially reported him missing on March 13, 1986.
A significant development in the case occurred on April 7, 1986, when Horn's car was discovered abandoned in Houston, Texas. A disturbing piece of evidence was found inside the vehicle: the passenger seat headrest was saturated with blood, which DNA testing later confirmed to be Horn's. This discovery shifted the focus of the investigation towards the strong possibility of foul play. Horn's body has never been recovered.
The investigation soon centered on a business associate of Horn's, Steven Wayne White. It was discovered that in 1986, the then 29-year-old White had befriended the 79-year-old Horn and persuaded him to engage in business dealings. Following Horn's disappearance, White attempted to cash a $60,000 check from Horn's bank account. Although he was an early person of interest, there was insufficient evidence to charge him for decades. In 1987, White was convicted for the murder of another business associate in Florida and sentenced to 25 years to life in prison.
The cold case was reopened by the Orange County Cold Case Homicide Task Force, which uncovered enough evidence to charge White with Horn's murder in June 2015. Following his extradition from Florida, White confessed to the crime. In October 2017, Steven Wayne White pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the case of Cedric Horn and received a sentence of 15 years to life in prison.Last Seen: Mar 7, 1986
