Daniel Joseph Oller, a 24-year-old white male from Redwood City, California, was found deceased on March 18, 1978. His body was discovered near Huddart Park in Woodside, San Mateo County, with a plastic bag tied over his head. Oller was known to have advertised himself as a male prostitute in San Francisco's Tenderloin District.
Investigations linked his death to David Allen Likens, a convicted murderer and suspected serial killer.
Likens had previously served time for the 1974 murder of 21-year-old Rod Thorpe and was released on parole in 1977. After his release, he returned to San Francisco and worked as a male prostitute. Between March and October 1978, Likens was accused of committing three murders, including that of Daniel Joseph Oller.
On October 12, 1978, Likens was arrested in San Francisco for a series of non-fatal assaults against three men. While in custody, investigators connected him to the murders of Oller and two other men. He was held on $250,000 bail and extradited to San Mateo County to stand trial. Likens pleaded not guilty to the charges.
A preliminary hearing for the murder of Daniel Joseph Oller was scheduled for February 5, 1979. However, before the hearing could take place, Likens died by suicide while in custody. As a result, he was never tried or convicted for Oller's murder.
