On August 27, 1978, Gary Collins, a 22-year-old resident of Rancho Cucamonga, California, was tragically found dead outside the Nite Lite Bar, located at the corner of Foothill Boulevard and Vineyard Avenue. Gary had been spending the evening with friends at the bar. Around 1:00 A.M., he decided to step outside and sit by his vehicle while his friends remained inside. Approximately 45 minutes later, his friends discovered him lying on the ground next to his car.
Gary had been shot to death, and his pockets were turned inside out, suggesting a possible robbery motive.
The investigation into Gary's murder revealed that his belongings were found a week later by a citizen near the Magic Lamp Restaurant on Foothill Boulevard and Red Hill. Despite this discovery, the case went cold, and no immediate arrests were made. The San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department continued to seek information from the public, urging anyone with knowledge about the incident to come forward.
In 2010, the case was reopened in an effort to bring new attention to the unsolved murder. The reopening of the case aimed to leverage advancements in forensic technology and renewed public interest to uncover new leads. However, despite these efforts, no significant breakthroughs were reported, and the case remains unsolved to this day.
The tragic death of Gary Collins remains a haunting mystery for his family and the community of Rancho Cucamonga. The lack of arrests or identified suspects has left many questions unanswered, and the pursuit of justice for Gary continues. The San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department still encourages anyone with information to contact their homicide detail or the anonymous tip line.
