In April 1987, the body of 29-year-old African-American female Sharon Massey was discovered in a yard in Sacramento, California. Her remains were found in the same location where another victim, a teenage girl, had previously been unearthed. Due to the advanced state of decomposition, determining the exact cause of death for Sharon Massey proved difficult.
However, her death was ultimately linked to a series of murders that had shaken the Sacramento community.
Sharon Massey was one of seven women whose bodies were found buried in or around properties associated with Morris Solomon Jr., an African-American male and former handyman. Solomon had a history of sexual violence and had previously been committed as a mentally disordered sex offender. He often exchanged home repair work for room and board, which gave him access to various residences across Sacramento.
The investigation into the murders began in earnest after the discovery of multiple bodies in shallow graves. On April 22, 1987, authorities arrested Solomon following the discovery of two victims at his current residence. Just a week later, on April 29, the remains of 29-year-old African-American female Sharon Massey were uncovered, further implicating Solomon in the string of killings.
Solomon was charged with seven counts of first-degree murder. In 1991, he was convicted of six of those murders, including that of Sharon Massey. Although his first sentencing phase ended in a mistrial, a second jury unanimously sentenced him to death in 1992. He remains on death row at San Quentin State Prison. Despite the overwhelming evidence, Solomon has continued to deny responsibility for the killings. His case, though overshadowed by another high-profile serial murder case in Sacramento at the time, remains one of the most chilling in the city’s history.
