Posted on 01/27/2025 12:30:08 PM PST by nickcarraway
In the mid-1980s, Leonard Lake and Charles Ng raped, tortured and murdered at least 11—possibly 25 or more—men, women and children at a remote cabin near Wilseyville, Calif. Now, thanks to genetic genealogy, investigators have identified one of the bodies found in June 1985 at a crime scene linked to the Wilseyville Serial Killings.
Identifinders International, working with Intermountain Forensics and the Calaveras Cold Case Task Force, used IGG to identify the body as Reginald “Reggie” Frisby. Frisby, who was born in 1956 in the state of New York, had never been reported missing and was previously not considered or suspected to be a potential victim of the Wilseyville Serial Killers.
Case background
In November 2022, the Calaveras Cold Case Task Force—a non-profit group funded entirely by donations—conducted a reexamination of unidentified remains found in 1985. The cold case had more than 1,000 fragments of human remains exhumed from a San Andreas crypt, as well as additional unidentified remains that were in the custody of the Calaveras County Coroner.
At the time of the crime, investigators created a composite sketch of the victim and made numerous attempts at identification, but his name was never found. With the advantage of modern DNA analysis, Task Force members sent the remains to the California Department of Justice for analysis. The agency successfully obtained a DNA profile and entered it into CODIES, but no match was found.
With that, the Task Force turned to other DNA methods. Last year, they sent the remains to Intermountain Forensics, who successfully extracted a DNA profile suitable for IGG. The profile was then given to Identifinders to research.
In December, Identifinders developed a lead regarding a possible DNA match to the still--unidentified victim. Task Force investigators Identifinders began conducting interviews of potential family members, and determined that Reginald Frisby had not been in contact with his family since 1984. The San Francisco Police Department Homicide Unit also confirmed that Frisby had been living in the city of San Francisco as of January 1984.
Following these interviews, the California DOJ acquired and matched a DNA reference sample from Frisby’s mother—confirming the identity of the remains to be Reginald “Reggie” Frisby.
The circumstances regarding Frisby’s death are still being examined while Task Force members continue to review original reports, evidence and facts of the case. However, given where his remains were found and the history of the Wilseyville Serial Killings, it is believed that Frisby was most likely a victim of Lake and Ng.
Hard to forget Ng, I did forget the name of his killing partner, Lake.
Haven’t seen an article regarding them for years. I’m glad to see they are not forgotten. What monsters.
Leonard Lake and Charles Ng were particularly evil if you look into the case, they would have gone on for a much longer amount of time, but they got caught shoplifting some power tools if I remember correctly.
How terribly sad to go 40 years and no one reports you missing.
Imagine being gone for 40 years and no one notices your gone. I guess that’s why some of these serial killers are hard to catch. They prey on lost souls.
California still has the death penalty (a bit of a surprise there). And Charles Ng sits on California’s death row.
But a succession of California governors refuse to sign his death warrant. That’s not compassion. That’s moral cowardice.
THEY HAVE THE DEATH PENALTY-—BUT IT IS NEVER USED.
Same in OR and WA. People vote for it...libgovs declare a moratorium.
Years and years ago in the 70s when these serial killers for some reason were abundant and hitching was common I was walking somewhere, was on the access road to the Black Canyon freeway here in Phoenix where I live and got tired and decided to hitch the last mile to the light.
A car pulled over, one of those cars that looked right out of the Rockford files, and a young guy got out and opened the door for me. I’m a girl so I took it as a courtesy, opening a door for a girl, however to be honest not many did it back then and now even fewer.
I got in and learned quite quick it was NOT a courtesy. There was no door handle on the inside. The guy, now sitting in the front seat next to the driver, also a young guy, picked up off the floor a metal club, maybe a long wrench, and both began laughing and the driver began to speed as if he was going to pass the intersection and likely get on the freeway, taking me against my will.
But I was lucky. A cop car was driving up next to our car, going to make a right at the intersection. I began screaming and banging on the window.
And he saw me! Thank god!
The driver stopped the car, the guy in the passenger seat got out, ran to my door, opening it and I jumped out and began running the opposite direction down the access road.
The police car saw all this and when they got going I turned and saw him pulling them over just past the intersection.
I never hitched again. That episode still gives me horrors.
You were very lucky and you learned from it...
Where is the other one now?
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