A young girl's remains are found six months after she was last seen walking home Kerry Patterson, a 15-year-old girl from Fullerton, California, was last seen on June 26, 1980. She had left her home to buy ice cream and never returned. Witnesses reported seeing her near her neighborhood, but she disappeared without a trace. Six months later, on December 27, 1980, her remains were discovered by an oil worker in a remote area of Tonner Canyon near Brea, California, roughly 10 miles from where she was last seen.
The remains included her skull and several bones scattered at the site.
The investigation into Kerry's death was challenging, as leads were scarce, and the case remained unsolved for decades. Police initially suspected she might have run away, but her family insisted that Kerry had no reason to leave home voluntarily. Over the years, there were unconfirmed sightings of her, but none led to substantial evidence about her fate. The location where her remains were found suggested foul play, and investigators have speculated that she was likely abducted and murdered, with her body being dumped in the isolated area.
The case has remained cold, although law enforcement has continued to pursue leads, including identifying a person of interest based on a sketch released in 2021. Investigators believe this individual may hold crucial information about what happened to Kerry on the day of her disappearance. Despite ongoing efforts, the mystery of her death has yet to be fully resolved, and the search for justice continues.
