Kenneth Williams Est. PMI (4h 15min, jun 2, 1978 y – 4h 10min, jun 3, 1978 y)

Description:

n 6/3/1978 at 0415 hours the decedent was found lying face down on the street at Division St., One/half block East of Corona St. in Long Beach, CA. Pronounced dead at the scene, appears to have been dumped at this location" (Former LACME page).

"The victim was discovered on June 3, 1978 in Long Beach, Los Angeles County, California. Estimated Date of Death: Day of Discovery. [...] The victim was located lying face down on the street at Division Street, One half block East of Corona Street in Long Beach, CA. Pronounced dead at the scene, appears to have been dumped at this location" (2012 DN).

"Date of Discovery: June 3, 1978. [...] Estimated Date of Death: Less than 24 hours prior. [...] At 4:15 A.M., the victim was located lying face down on Division Street, a half block east of Corona Street. He was pronounced dead at the scene and appears to have been dumped at this location. He had a faint stamped imprint of "PAID" on the back of his right hand" (2016 DN).

"Estimated Date of Death: Hours prior. [...] Cause of Death: Homicide by strangulation. [...] Some believe he was possibly killed by serial killer Randy Steven Kraft, based on the fact that his body was less than a mile from where Kraft often picked up his victims. Despite this, certain characteristics of the modus operandi were absent, in comparison to some of Kraft's other victims." (2022 DN).


"On June 3, 1978, the body of an unidentified male was found lying on the pavement of Division Street, east of Corona Avenue in Long Beach. The victim had succumbed to his injuries and was determined deceased at the scene. [...] For the last forty years, there was circumstantial evidence that potentially linked convicted serial killer Randy Kraft to 'John Doe 1978’s' death; however, Kraft was ultimately ruled out as a suspect" (LBPD press release).

"Found on a residential street in Belmont Shore. [...] Found dead on Division Street near Corona Avenue, June 3, 1978. Williams was from La Puente, but ran away from home sometime in 1978. [...] Detectives did not know whether Williams was killed at the location where he was found or if he may have been dumped there. [...] Williams was a Fairgrove Academy student who last attended the school on Oct. 27, 1977. Where he was between that date and June 3, 1978, when his body was found, is not known" (OC Register 12/14/22).

"Investigators, who have not publicly said how the teen died, aren't sure if he had been killed at the scene or dumped there. On the back of his right hand was stamped, 'PAID'" (OCR 12/16/22).





COD strangulation.
** Previously known as Long Beach John Doe 1978 (NamUs case #UP4428, Doe Network case 1392UMCA). Identified in Dec. 2022 **

NOTE: Kenny has reportedly been RULED OUT as being a potential victim of Randy Kraft. The reasons for this, however, have not been made public.


Former LACME page: https://web.archive.org/web/20071227193929/http://coroner.co.la.ca.us/htm/uipdetail.cfm?proc_flg=L&unid_case_num=1978-06979

LBPD press release: https://web.archive.org/web/20221231220847/https://www.longbeach.gov/police/press-releases/homicide-detectives-identify-john-doe-victim-in-1978-cold-case-murder-and-seek-publics-help-in-developing-investigative-leads/

Article package: https://cacoldcases.blogspot.com/p/kenny-williams-article-package-dec-2022.html
2022 NBC LA article: https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/homicide-cold-case-1978-long-beach-police-la-puente-teen-murder/3056029/
DNA Solves: https://dnasolves.com/articles/long-beach-kenneth-nevada-williams/
DN ID: http://www.doenetwork.org/closed/articles/1392UMCA_article.pdf
Unidentified wiki: https://unidentified-awareness.fandom.com/wiki/Kenneth_Williams
FindAGrave: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/247460846/kenneth-nevada-williams

2012 DN: https://web.archive.org/web/20120603055301/http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/1392umca.html
2016 DN: https://web.archive.org/web/20160407201902/http://www.doenetwork.org/cases/1392umca.html
2022 DN: https://web.archive.org/web/20221216054616/https://www.doenetwork.org/cases/1392umca.html

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