In the first episode of Murderous, we delve into the tragic 1979 murder of 17-year-old Esther Gonzalez in Banning, California. They discuss the brutal crime, the initial investigation, and how advancements in forensic genetic genealogy eventually identified her killer, decades later. We explore the challenges faced by law enforcement, the ethical considerations of using DNA evidence, and the emotional impact on Esther's family.

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References:

Brown, J. (2024, November 25). DNA confirms man who had passed polygraph test as suspected killer in 1979 cold case. CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2024/11/24/us/esther-gonzalez-murder-dna/index.html

Goldberg, N. (2024, November 21). DNA shows man who found girl’s body in 1979 was actually her killer - Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles Times. https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2024-11-20/cold-case-1979-murder-solved-riverside-county

Goldberg, N. (2024, November 20). He found a girl’s body in the snow in 1979. Nearly 50 years later, DNA shows he killed her. Yahoo News. https://www.yahoo.com/news/found-girls-body-snow-1979-214843417.html

Wikipedia contributors. (2025, March 5). Beaumont, California. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beaumont,_California#Geography

Wikipedia contributors. (2025, March 29). Lawrence Bittaker and Roy Norris. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lawrence_Bittaker_and_Roy_Norris

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