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Elizabeth Ortega

Case from Fresno, CA dated Aug 02, 1974

Victim Details

Elizabeth Ortega

Female

Hispanic / Latino

Fresno

CA

1974

15

Elizabeth

Ortega

07/08/2026

Case Description

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Elizabeth Ortega, a 15-year-old Hispanic female from Fresno, California, was brutally raped and murdered in 1974. Her case remained unsolved for decades until advancements in DNA technology led to a breakthrough. In 2008, a Fresno County jury convicted 73-year-old Ray Dell Sims of first-degree murder in connection with Elizabeth's death. Sims, already serving a life sentence for the 1977 murder of another teenage girl, Janet Herstein, was brought back to Fresno from San Quentin State Prison in 2 ...
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Links to Additional Sources (3)

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  • Life in Prison for Accused Serial Murderer | ABC30 Fresno
  • Sims Guilty for Murder of Fresno Teenage Girl - ABC30
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    Forum Posts (1)

    I came across the case of Elizabeth Ortega and it struck me how powerful DNA technology can be. It t... ...Read More
    01/31/2024
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