295 Cases Solved. Advancing justice for missing persons, unsolved homicides, unidentified and unclaimed remains.
William Freeman
Case from Antioch, CA dated Aug 27, 1969
Victim Details
William Freeman
Male
Antioch
California
Aug 27, 1969
12
Jul 24, 2026
Case Description
Any updates on this case? Let us know!
On August 27, 1969, 12-year-old William Freeman, a white male, was abducted and murdered in Antioch, California. Charles Ray Hatcher, a known serial offender, later confessed to luring the boy to a creek and strangling him. This confession marked the beginning of a series of admissions by Hatcher, who claimed responsibility for multiple child murders spanning over a decade.
Just two days after Freeman's murder, on August 29, 1969, Hatcher attempted to abduct and assault six-year-old Gilbert Martinez in San Francisco. A passerby witnessed the attack and intervened, leading to Hatcher's arrest. At the time, Hatcher used the alias Albert Ralph Price and possessed identification under the name Hobert Prater. Despite the arrest, Hatcher was not immediately charged with Freeman's murder.
Following his arrest, Hatcher underwent a series of psychological evaluations. He exhibited behaviors suggesting mental instability, including claims of hearing voices and suicide attempts. However, medical professionals often suspected he was feigning these symptoms. Diagnoses varied, with some experts labeling him as having a passive-aggressive personality with paraphilia and pedophilia, while others deemed him incompetent to stand trial. These conflicting assessments led to repeated transfers between psychiatric facilities and courtrooms.
Despite his confessions, Hatcher was never formally charged with the murder of William Freeman. It wasn't until his arrest in 1982 for the murder of 11-year-old Michelle Steele that Hatcher confessed to a total of 16 murders, including that of Freeman. These confessions highlighted systemic failures in the criminal justice system, as Hatcher had been in and out of custody multiple times without facing charges for several of his admitted crimes.
Hatcher's criminal activities and the subsequent handling of his cases underscore the challenges faced by law enforcement and mental health professionals in dealing with serial offenders. The tragic death of William Freeman serves as a somber reminder of the importance of thorough investigations and the need for effective communication between agencies to prevent such heinous crimes.
