Kimberley Martin, a 17-year-old Caucasian female, tragically lost her life on December 13, 1977. Kimberley was the 11th victim of the notorious serial killers known as the Hillside Stranglers. She was working as a prostitute for an outcall service when she was called to an empty apartment at 1950 Tamarind, Hollywood. Kimberley was brutally murdered in the apartment, and her body was later dumped at 2006 N.
Alvarado, Echo Park.
The Hillside Stranglers, Kenneth Bianchi and Angelo Buono, were responsible for a series of murders in Los Angeles between October 1977 and February 1978. The duo kidnapped, raped, tortured, and murdered 10 females together, with Bianchi committing two additional murders on his own. The victims ranged in age from 12 to 28, and their bodies were often found in the hills surrounding Los Angeles. Kimberley Martin's death was part of this gruesome spree.
The investigation into the Hillside Strangler murders was extensive and complex. Initially, it was believed that only one person was responsible for the killings. However, the positions of some of the victims' bodies led investigators to deduce that two criminals were working together. This information was withheld from the press until an elderly neighbor witnessed and reported the kidnapping of one of the victims. The police eventually apprehended Kenneth Bianchi and Angelo Buono, who were convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment without parole.
Kimberley Martin's murder, along with the other victims, highlighted the dangers faced by women in Los Angeles during that time. The Hillside Stranglers' reign of terror left a lasting impact on the community and served as a grim reminder of the vulnerability of women, particularly those involved in sex work. The case remains one of the most infamous in the history of Los Angeles, and the memory of Kimberley Martin and the other victims continues to be honored by those who remember their tragic stories.
