Cold Case Investigations

Our ultimate goal, and greatest hope, is to obtain justice for these victims and their families and we can't do it alone.

If you believe you have information that might help solve one of the below cold case homicides, please contact the Ventura Police Department at [email protected] Please remember, there is nothing too minor or insignificant to share.

You may also remain anonymous and still provide valuable information by calling Ventura County Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477, or visit www.VenturaCountyCrimeStoppers.org to submit a tip via text or email. If your information leads to an arrest, you could receive up to $1,000.

Aguilar

Diego Aguilar: 12.14.18

Diego Aguilar, 34-years-old, was riding his bicycle in the area of Peacock Avenue and Hummingbird Street and was shot by unknown suspects. He ran away, collapsed, and died a short distance later. Case #18-95814

Ikeda

Arnold Ikeda: 03.20.16

Arnold Ikeda, 38-years-old, was found by a friend in his bedroom, passed out with blood all around him. It was discovered that Ikeda had been shot once and succumbed to his wound. Case #16-03975

County

Gregory County: 09.19.16

Gregory County, 61-years-old, was shot and killed while seated in the front seat of his vehicle, parked at 2319 Alameda Ave. Prior to the shooting, County had left a room at the Victoria Motel, located just around the corner. Case #16-13089

Curtis Baker

Curtis Baker: 06.29.14

On June 29, 2014 at approximately 11:06pm, Ventura Police and Fire responded to the call of a structure fire located at 959 Burlington Avenue. Curtis Baker was asleep in his bedroom upstairs when his wife came to evacuate him due to a fire occurring in the garage of the residence. After being pulled from the residence Curtis Baker went into cardiac arrest. He passed away later that night at Community Memorial Hospital (CMH) due to complications of smoke inhalation. According to the Ventura Fire Department, the structure fire was arson and was set intentionally. Case #14-08038.

Dray Plueger

Dray Plueger: 02.12.14

On February 12, 2014, officers responded to a call of a homicide at 41 West Vince Street. Upon arrival on scene officers came across the body of Dray Plueger. The residence had also seemed to have been ransacked. Case #14-1812.

Leonard Lopez

Leonard Lopez: 10.22.13

On October 22, 2013 at approximately 9:39pm, officers responded to a shooting victim at Ramona Street and Ventura Avenue. Multiple witnesses state they heard a vehicle traveling at high rates of speed followed by the sound of a gunshot. Leonard Lopez, age 24, was struck with gunfire and succumbed to his wounds. Investigators learned that when Lopez was walking in the area of Ventura Avenue and Ramona Street, a dark colored SUV occupied by 4 males stopped near Lopez. The suspect exited the vehicle and shot Lopez. The vehicle then fled the scene and was last seen traveling eastbound on Ramona Street. Case #13-12442

Zachary Lee

Zachary Lee: 10.06.13

On October 6, 2013, officers responded to the call of a shooting. The victim, Zachary Lee, was attacked by three men at 35 West Harrison Avenue. An eye witness saw Lee fighting with the three men, during which, one of the suspects pulled out a pistol and shot Lee once in the head. Lee was rushed to the hospital but died as a result of the gunshot wound. Case #13-11780.

Male

Juan Reyes: 10.24.10

On October 24, 2010, officers responded to a homicide call on Peacock Avenue. The victim was identified as Juan Reyes, age 21. Officers state that on October 23, 2010 around 9:07pm, the victim was standing on the sidewalk on Peacock Avenue when a vehicle stopped, and several individuals exited the vehicle. Officers are not clear what took place at that time, but they know several shots were fired at the victim. Juan Reyes succumbed to the gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead on October 23, 2010 at 9:27pm. Case #10-13638

Ida Medina

Ida Medina: 07.03.09

On July 3, 2009 around 12:45pm, officers responded to a shooting victim 1246 Mead Avenue. The victim, Ida Medina, was located inside her residence suffering from a gunshot wound. The initial investigation revealed that several shots were fired at the residence striking the victim who was inside. Medina succumbed to her injuries and was pronounced dead at the hospital. It appears that this incident was gang related. This was the second homicide at this residence within an 8-month time period. Case #09-08942

Miguel Parra

Miguel Parra: 06.15.09

On June 15, 2009 around 10:45pm, officers responded to 6 N. Ventura Avenue regarding a shooting victim. The victim, Miguel Parra, 23-years-old, had sustained multiple gunshot wounds. This 1989 Toyota Corolla was believed to be driven by the suspects during the shooting. Case #09-08042

Toyota Corolla
Acevedo

Richard Acevedo: 12.19.08

Richard Acevedo, 21-years-old, was visiting his father in the 1200 block of Mead Ave. The victim was approached by an unknown suspect in front of the residence and was shot. The victim transported to VCMC where he succumbed to his wounds. Case #08-18292

Reeves

Kristopher Reeves: 10.20.04

Kristopher Reeves, 15-years-old, was walking with a friend in the area of Ramona St and Olive Street when 4-5 individuals got out of a vehicle and approached victim and his friend. One of the subjects pulled out a handgun and shot Reeves. Reeves’ friend helped him walk away and Reeves collapsed in the driveway of an apartment complex at the 200 block of Ramona St. Case #04-16400

West

Daniel West: 10.27.03

Daniel West, 21-years-old, was shot and killed inside of his bedroom by an unknown assailant. The victim’s father was home at the time of the shooting and ran out to the garage to see two vehicles fleeing the area. Case #03-17182

Jose Pimentel

Jose Pimentel: 05.22.02

Jose Pimentel, 20-years-old, was standing in front of his uncle’s residence at the 900 block of N. Olive St. A male approached the victim on foot and shot him. The victim fell to the ground and died on scene. Case #02-7255

Dowden

David Dowden: 02.22.00

David Dowden, 35-years-old, was found face down and bloody inside of a large storage container. Dowden was found to have been shot once in the head and once in the chest, execution style. Dowden was described by those who knew him as a person that kept to himself. Case #00-1921

Strickland

Joseph Strickland: 04.25.99

Victim Joseph Strickland, 43-years-old, was found near the railroad tracks at Front Street and Kalorama Street. Strickland was homeless and his cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head. A large bloody rock was recovered at the scene. Case #99-6791

Ricardo Silvia

Ricardo Silva: 05.16.98 

On Saturday, May 16, 1998 around 9:30pm, officers were dispatched to a shooting that had just occurred in the 100 block of Bell Way. During a large gathering, Ricardo Silva was shot once with a handgun by an unknown male. Case #98-08289

John Rios

John Edward Rios: 04.26.94

On Tuesday, April 26, 1994 around 11:00pm, officers were dispatched to a shooting near the intersection of Callens Road and Market Street. John “Johnny” Edward Rios was driving his work van, a tan 1988 Ford Aerostar, with a coworker sitting in the passenger seat. While stopped at a stop sign, an unknown male approached the driver's side of the vehicle and shot Rios multiple times. The suspect was wearing a blue long sleeve shirt, dark pants, and dark cloth ski mask with eye holes. Rios was transported to the Ventura County Medical Center where he succumbed to his wounds. Case #94-06899

Male

Tyrone Baker: 05.15.93

On Saturday, May 15, 1993 around 1:30pm, officers were dispatched to a shooting near the intersection of South Garden Street and South Olive Street, under the Highway 33 ramp to the US-101. Tyrone Baker was found deceased with multiple gunshot wounds to the head. Tyrone was wearing a white t-shirt tucked into tan, calf length shorts, and white ankle high socks with no shoes.  A tan, older model compact four-door sedan was seen leaving the scene. Case #93-08471.

Danielle Clause 1
Small, white pickup truck

Danielle Lynn Clause: 07.16.91

On Tuesday, July 16, 1991 around 10:30am, the body of Danielle Lynn Clause (aka Rector, Harper, Harvey, Gray, Thurmond, Monroe, Price) was found in a flood control catch basin located north of the end of Tioga Drive. Danielle was found partially unclothed with multiple blunt force injuries. She was wearing a black blouse, black Levi’s jeans, and black Reebok sneakers. She was last seen on the evening of July 15, 1991 at the corner of Hemlock Street and Thompson Boulvard talking to a man driving a small white pickup truck. The truck had three pin stripes on the sides of the front fenders with a color combination of top- burnt orange, middle- black, bottom- burnt orange. Case #91-09666

Reynaldo Duarte- Suspect Sketch

Reynaldo Lopez Duarte Sr.: 01.29.85

On Tuesday, January 29, 1985 around 7:00pm, officers were dispatched to the 100 Block of North Ventura Avenue in reference to a shooting. An unknown male forced his way into Reynaldo “Ray” Lopez Duarte, Sr’s residence and shot him with a short double barrel shotgun concealed in a blue rag. The suspect (see attached sketch) was described as a Hispanic male in his 20’s, approximately 5'10", with an average/thin build. He had a mustache and was wearing a brown, plaid long sleeve shirt and blue jeans. The suspect fled the area in a canary yellow Chevrolet Nova or Pontiac Ventura. Duarte was transported to a hospital where he was pronounced deceased. Case #85-01068.

Otis Bolon

Otis Theodore Bolon: 02.12.83

On Saturday, February 12, 1983 around 5:00am, officers were dispatched to a homicide in the 1500 block of Palma Drive. Otis Theodore “Ted” Bolon was found deceased in a converted apartment in his commercial warehouse with multiple gunshot wounds to his upper body. The door to his apartment was left ajar. Ted was last seen alive by an employee the previous evening around 7:00pm in the warehouse. Case #83-01165.

Male

Edward Tibbets: 08.10.79

On the morning of August 10, 1979, the body of Edward Tibbets was found by the Ventura Police Department near South Victoria Avenue in a field off the 101 Freeway. Tibbets had been stabbed multiple times. Tibbets was wearing a dark blue turtleneck and blue denim Levi's. Case #79-05148.

Lynn Mueller

Lynn Mueller: 05.30.75

On the night of May 30, 1975, the body of 21-year-old Lynn Mueller was found by her husband in their home on the 800 Block of East Main Street. Mueller had been stabbed multiple times. Case #75-03462.

Female

Jesta Wilson: 02.17.72

On Thursday, February 17, 1972 around 10:00am, officers were dispatched to the 300 block of Chrisman Avenue. 91-year-old Jesta Wilson was found deceased in her downstairs bedroom with upper body trauma. It appeared that the suspect entered the residence through a kitchen window located next to an alley. Jesta was last seen alive the previous afternoon. Case #72-00710.

Cindy Mellin

Cindy Mellin: 01.19.70 - MISSING PERSON

Cindy Mellin, 19-years-old, was last seen in the parking lot of the Broadway Shopping Center located 477 S. Mills Road at approximately 10:00pm on January 19, 1970. She was seen at her car, a cream/blue 1960 Rambler, four-door sedan, which was jacked up under the rear bumper.  An unidentified man was observed standing near the rear of the vehicle, reaching into the trunk. The man was described as tall and thin with light-colored hair and approximately 30-40 years old.

Cindy Mellin was approximately 5’6” and 105 lb. with blue eyes and brown shoulder-length hair. She was last seen wearing a navy-blue dress with red buttons, a brown corduroy coat, a red ribbon in her hair, and medium-heeled blue shoes with gold buckles. Crime Report #50785