Nine-year-old Mitchel Salomon, along with his mother Elaine, father Sol, and older sister Michelle Houchman, vanished from their Northridge, California home on October 12, 1982. The family, originally from Israel, resided on Lassen Street at the time of their disappearance. Sol Salomon was last seen on the evening of October 12, heading to a car auction with a business associate named Harvey Rader.
Later that evening, Elaine was on the phone with a friend when she mentioned Rader was at the door before the call ended abruptly. This was the last known contact with any member of the Salomon family.
When authorities entered the Salomon residence, they found troubling signs. In one room, there were small blood splatters, and a section of the carpet had been cut out and covered with a bathroom rug. A baseball bat was found near the bar. The family's Mercedes was missing, though their two other vehicles remained at the house. Five days later, on October 17, some of the family's personal belongings, including passports, wallets, and photos, were discovered scattered along the Antelope Valley Freeway near Acton, California.
The investigation quickly focused on Harvey Rader, a British citizen who owned a car dealership in which Sol Salomon had invested $20,000. The missing Mercedes was later found at Rader's garage. A significant development came in October 1983 when Rader's cousin, Ashley Paulle, claimed he witnessed Rader murder the entire Salomon family. Paulle alleged that after a business dispute, Rader shot Sol and then went to the Salomon home where he killed Elaine, Mitchel, and Michelle. Paulle claimed he assisted Rader in burying the bodies in the desert near Acton.
Despite Paulle's testimony, the case against Rader was fraught with complications. Paulle's credibility was questioned after he failed a polygraph test and admitted to lying about the involvement of other individuals. After two mistrials, Harvey Rader was acquitted of the murders in July 1992. Rader was also a suspect in the disappearances of another couple, Peter and Joan Davis, who had business dealings with him. To this day, the bodies of Mitchel Salomon and his family have never been found, and their case remains an unsolved mystery.Last Seen: Oct 12, 1982
