Anna Evardo, a 24-year-old resident of Oakland, California, was tragically found dead on December 23, 1984. Her body was discovered inside a closet in her family home, nude and bleeding from three small-caliber bullet wounds. The investigation revealed that the bullets recovered from her body matched those used in a previous attack on November 8, 1984, where a 12-year-old girl was brutally raped and shot but survived. This connection led authorities to believe that Anna's murder was part of a series of violent crimes committed by the same perpetrator.
The investigation into Anna Evardo's death intensified as neighbors reported seeing a black man leaving the Evardo home around the time of the murder. Forensic experts also recovered latent fingerprints from the crime scene that did not match any surviving family members. This crucial evidence pointed to a suspect who had a history of violent crimes in the area.
On February 3, 1985, police arrested Anthony Wimberly, a 23-year-old recent parolee, based on information provided by informants. Wimberly's fingerprints matched those found at the scene of Anna Evardo's murder, and he was identified by the first victim in a lineup. Further investigation linked Wimberly to other violent crimes, including the murder of Marilyn Moore on January 24, 1985, and Doris Lee on January 31, 1985. Wimberly's modus operandi involved breaking into homes, committing sexual assaults, and using a small-caliber weapon to shoot his victims.
Anthony Wimberly was eventually convicted of multiple murders, including that of Anna Evardo, and was sentenced to three life terms without the possibility of parole in 1994. The case highlighted the importance of forensic evidence and the role of community cooperation in solving violent crimes. Anna Evardo's tragic death remains a somber reminder of the dangers posed by repeat offenders and the need for vigilant law enforcement efforts to protect vulnerable individuals in the community.
