17-year-old Esther Gonzales was a victim of rape and murder 45 years ago in California, USA. Thanks to a DNA test, the case has been solved after many years. While this solution has brought relief to the family, it has also caused deep pain.
It is known that on February 9, 1979, Esther Gonzales was going to her sister's house in Benning, California. His sister lives about 137 km away from their home. Despite leaving home, Esther never reached her sister's house. A day later, his body was found covered in snow near a highway in Riverside County, California.
Investigation revealed that Esther was brutally beaten to death after being raped. However, even after years of investigation of the case, no solution has been found regarding the identity of the culprit. A sample of semen collected from the scene had been preserved since 1979. No match was found in the US national DNA database with this sample.
Finally, in 2023, advances in technology and forensic science led to significant progress in the case. The investigation team of the case started working with a forensic genetics laboratory in Texas that day.
A new DNA test matched the stored semen sample to a blood sample from a man named Lewis Randolph Randy Williamson. However, the accused Williamson died in Florida in 2014. He was a member of the US Marine Corps.
US media reported that on the day of the incident, Williamson himself called the authorities to report the discovery of Esther's body. He then claimed that he could not identify whether the body was male or female. His behavior at the time was considered 'suspicious'. But Williamson was later dropped from the suspect list after failing a polygraph test.
Esther's family had mixed reactions after DNA tests identified the killer. They expressed satisfaction as the truth was revealed. However, they expressed disappointment that the killer died without getting any punishment for this crime.
Esther's older brother Eddie Gonzales wrote on Facebook, 'The Gonzales family is grateful to the Riverside County Sheriff's Department. After 40 years we have a solution.'
Esther's elder sister Elizabeth is now 64 years old. “We are happy that this mystery has finally been solved,” he told CNN. But there is some suffering because the killer is dead. Because he will never be punished.'
Esther Gonzales was the fourth of seven siblings. Her family remembers her as a shy, cheerful girl with a gentle nature.
