Carolyn Davis, a 15-year-old girl, was last seen hitchhiking on Highway 101 in Garberville, California, on July 15, 1973. Her body was discovered on July 31, 1973, less than ten feet from the location where two other victims, Maureen Sterling and Yvonne Weber, had been found. The cause of her death was determined to be strychnine poisoning.
Davis' death was linked to the series of unsolved homicides known as the Santa Rosa Hitchhiker Murders, which occurred in and around Santa Rosa,
Sonoma County, California, between 1972 and 1973. These murders involved female hitchhikers who were found nude in rural areas near steep embankments or creek beds. Investigators believed that the perpetrator of these crimes "interviewed" potential victims before killing them. Despite extensive investigations, the identity of the perpetrator remains unknown.
The circumstances surrounding Davis' death raised concerns about the possibility of a serial killer targeting young female hitchhikers in the region. Authorities examined various leads, including reports that some victims had been approached by a tall, slender man offering marijuana. However, no definitive suspect was identified. The case remains unsolved, and Davis' murder continues to be part of the broader investigation into the Santa Rosa Hitchhiker Murders.
