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Richard Swanson

Case from South Lake Tahoe, CA dated Aug 19, 1980

Victim Details

Richard Swanson

December 15, 2022

Male

Caucasian / White

South Lake Tahoe

CA

1980-08-19

16

Richard

Swanson

Yes

06/21/2026


Area Body Found:

Case Description

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Do you know who killed Richard Swanson in 1980?
On August 14, 1980, 16-year-old Richard Swanson was working the graveyard shift at a Shell gas station in South Lake Tahoe when he was brutally murdered during a robbery. Swanson was bound with duct tape, beaten, and left to suffocate. His body was discovered in the storage room of the gas station the following morning, with $761 missing from the cash register. The case went unsolved for over three decades despite extensive investigations and community efforts.

The case gained renewed a ...
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Links to Additional Sources (5)

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  • Sanford sentenced in 30-year-old SLT murder case
  • Jury finds Sanford guilty in 1980 murder | TahoeDailyTribune.com
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    Forum Posts (3)

    Hey everyone, I’ve been following Richard Swanson’s case for a while and wanted to share some th... ...Read More
    12/19/2024
    Hey everyone,
    I've been following Richard Swanson's case and wanted to discuss a part that hasn't... ...Read More
    06/29/2023
    Does anyone else find it absolutely chilling how the DNA on the duct tape turned out to be the key t... ...Read More
    05/26/2023
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