Do you know who killed 82 year old Elizabeth Wasson in 1992? In the quiet town of Hillsboro, Oregon, the evening of September 23, 1992, brought with it a darkness that would linger for decades. Elizabeth Wasson, an 83-year-old Caucasian woman, had just returned to her residence in the 2100 block of SE Brookwood Avenue from a trip to the grocery store. It was in the presumed safety of her own home that her life was tragically cut short. Her daughter, after being unable to reach her by phone, arrived at the house around 9 p.m. to a scene of profound loss.
She discovered her mother deceased, the victim of a brutal strangulation.
The initial investigation into Elizabeth’s death yielded few immediate answers. Law enforcement officials were perplexed by the scene; there were no signs of forced entry, and robbery did not appear to be a motive as nothing of value seemed to have been taken from her home. The window of time for the crime was narrow, estimated to be between 7 p.m., when her daughter had last seen her, and 9 p.m. when she was found. In the early stages of the investigation, police had no suspects and no clear motive, leaving the community in a state of unease and the case shrouded in mystery.
A significant development in the case came with the investigation of Cesar Barone, a man who would later be identified as a serial killer. In 1993, court documents revealed that Barone was a suspect in the murder of Elizabeth Wasson. At the time, he was already facing charges for the murders of three other women and was a suspect in several other violent crimes in Oregon and other states. Despite being a strong person of interest in Elizabeth's case, and his eventual conviction and death sentence for other murders, he was never formally charged with her death. Barone died in prison in 2009, taking with him any potential confessions that might have brought closure to Elizabeth's family.
Decades later, the murder of Elizabeth Wasson remains an open and active cold case. The Hillsboro Police Department continues to seek information from the public, hoping that the passage of time may encourage someone with knowledge of the events of that September night to come forward. The case is a haunting reminder of a life taken too soon and a quest for justice that has not yet reached its end. Investigators remain hopeful that new leads or advancements in forensic technology could one day shed light on the final moments of Elizabeth Wasson's life and finally bring her killer to justice.
