Regina Nadine Washington, a 27-year-old Black woman, was found murdered on September 23, 1989, in Los Angeles, California. Her body was discovered inside a detached garage of a vacant home located on the 8800 block of South Figueroa Street in the Vermont Vista neighborhood. At the time of her death, Regina Washington was six months pregnant. The cause of death was determined to be strangulation, and the death of her unborn child—referred to as "Baby Washington"—was also ruled a homicide.
The murder of Regina Nadine Washington, a 27-year-old Black female, remained unsolved for years until DNA evidence linked her death to Chester Dewayne Turner, a convicted serial killer. Turner, who was born in 1966 and lived in Los Angeles, was later identified as one of the city’s most prolific serial killers. He was known to target vulnerable women, many of whom were Black and lived in areas affected by poverty and drug epidemics. Turner’s crimes spanned from 1987 to 1998 and were concentrated in a corridor near Figueroa Street.
Turner was arrested in 2002 for the rape of a woman named Maria Martinez. While serving time for that crime, his DNA was entered into California’s database and matched evidence from multiple unsolved murders, including that of Regina Nadine Washington. In 2007, Chester Dewayne Turner was convicted of ten murders and sentenced to death. Among those convictions was the murder of Regina Washington. Although he was initially convicted for the death of her unborn child, that specific conviction was later overturned in 2022 after legal review regarding fetal viability. However, the conviction for Regina Washington’s murder remained upheld.
Authorities believe Turner is responsible for at least 14 murders, and possibly more. His victims were predominantly Black women, and many were found in similar circumstances—strangled and left in alleys, garages, or vacant lots. Turner’s arrest and conviction were the result of extensive DNA analysis and cold case investigations that connected him to a series of killings previously attributed to the so-called “Southside Slayer,” a name used for multiple serial killers operating in Los Angeles during the same period.
Regina Nadine Washington’s death, along with those of other victims, highlighted systemic issues in how crimes against marginalized women were investigated and prioritized. Her case remained unsolved for over a decade until forensic advancements and renewed investigative efforts brought justice. Chester Dewayne Turner remains incarcerated on death row in California.
