Linda Pesce, a 36-year-old White female originally from Santa Rosa, California, was living in Honolulu, Hawaii, at the time of her death. On the morning of April 29, 1986, she left her residence for a scheduled work meeting and was expected to return later that evening. When she failed to show up for work and her car was discovered abandoned on the side of the Nimitz Highway viaduct near the Honolulu International Airport, her roommate reported her missing.
Witnesses later recalled seeing a light-colored van and a possibly Caucasian man near her vehicle.
Her body was discovered on May 3, 1986, off a dirt road at Sand Island, a remote industrial area in Honolulu. The 36-year-old White female victim had her hands bound behind her back, and her body was partially buried with a concrete block placed on top. The condition of the body and the circumstances of her disappearance bore striking similarities to four other unsolved murders of women in the Honolulu area between 1985 and 1986. All victims were found with their hands tied, had been sexually assaulted, and were left in secluded locations. This led authorities to believe that Pesce was the fifth victim of a serial killer later dubbed the 'Honolulu Strangler.'
Following the discovery of Pesce's body, a man named Howard Gay, age 43, came forward claiming that a psychic had told him where the body could be found. He led police to Sand Island, although not directly to the location of the remains. Gay was arrested and questioned by police, and during interrogation, he reportedly made statements that raised suspicions. However, despite being considered the prime suspect, he was never formally charged due to insufficient evidence. Police conducted sting operations and surveillance, but no further arrests were made, and the case remains unsolved.
The murder of Linda Pesce, a 36-year-old White female, marked the final known killing attributed to the Honolulu Strangler. Her death, along with the others, prompted the formation of a task force and involvement from the FBI, but the identity of the perpetrator has never been confirmed. The case continues to be one of Hawaii's most haunting unsolved serial murder investigations.
