Roxene Roggasch, an 18-year-old Caucasian female, was found dead on January 11, 1977, near Fairfax, California. Her body was discovered off Sir Francis Drake Boulevard on the east side of White's Hill. She had been strangled, with pantyhose wrapped around her neck, and her feet were bound. Authorities determined that she had been deceased for less than a day when she was found. Initially, investigators looked into her suspected involvement in prostitution, though her family denied any knowledge of such activities. Her former boyfriend and alleged pimp, who was living in Southern California at the time, stated that he last saw her on January 4 or 5, 1977.
The case remained unsolved for decades until new forensic evidence linked her murder to Joseph Naso, a former resident of Piedmont, California. Naso, who was later identified as a serial killer, had a disturbing pattern of targeting women with alliterative initials. His connection to Roxene Roggasch, an 18-year-old Caucasian female, was established through DNA evidence found on the pantyhose used to strangle her. The DNA belonged to Naso’s former wife, Judith Naso, further implicating him in the crime.
During the investigation, authorities discovered that Naso had kept photographs of naked and nearly naked women in a safe deposit box at a Reno bank. He admitted to storing items related to his "dark side" in the deposit box. When questioned about his presence in Marin County, where Roxene Roggasch, an 18-year-old Caucasian female, was murdered, Naso claimed he had rarely visited the area. However, records showed that he and his wife owned property in Piedmont, less than two miles from the MacArthur BART station, where Roggasch had been soliciting clients around the time of her death.
Naso was arrested in April 2011 in El Dorado County and charged with multiple murders, including that of Roxene Roggasch, an 18-year-old Caucasian female. His trial revealed a chilling pattern of violence against women, with victims found strangled and dumped in rural areas. The case against him was strengthened by forensic evidence, witness testimonies, and his own incriminating statements. Ultimately, Naso was convicted and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
