CA CA - Jane Bennington, 29, Corona del Mar, 2 Aug 1977

[Kreative Images]

There has been quite a bit of discussion regarding the unsolved murder of Jane Bennington, 29, in Corona Del Mar, CA on Aug. 2, 1977. Many have speculated, including authorities early on, that her rape/strangulation/murder was the beginning of the Original Night Stalker.

Jane was a friend of our family and her roommate stayed with us for months after the murder. Like many of you, I too thought that perhaps the EAR/ONS may have killed her since there was a time lapse between rapes in Sacramento at the time and the killer obviously upgraded to murder later on in nearby Dana Point and Irvine a few years later.

I am aware of many details that have been either misunderstood or interpreted incorrectly, however, I do know that cold case detectives have ruled out pretty much everyone I had considered as a suspect, including the ONS-EAR, Hillside Strangler, Orange Coast Killer, Randy Kraft, Gerald Parker and all the other bizarre serial killers that apparently prowled Southern California and Orange County in the mid 1970's, have been ruled out through DNA testing. Testing continues periodically. The last time her crime scene DNA was tested was 2007 (according to OC Cold Case Trackers Homicide Division.)

What puzzles me is that this case remains unsolved to this day. While there are many unsolved cases, this one is personal for me and I have spent the past couple of months looking into it.

If anyone has any information that I may not... especially if anyone knows of other unsolved murders in Orange County around that time. I would like to know how they died and what their stories are.

If you know something that you feel may add to this, please feel free to contact me by email @ kirk@rkitv.com.

Thank you

 

[gaia227]

I cannot remember - did LE decide that ONS and EAR were the same person? I watched a Cold Case Files about this a few weeks ago.......EAR went dorment for quite awhile and then the murders started and that murderer was dubbed the ONS, then they began to speculate they were the same person and the EAR had just upgraded to murder.

 

[CrimeSolver]

I believe DNA confirmed the EAR/ONS link.

 

[Hope4Lost]

Who are ONS and EAR? Thanks!

 

[shadowangel]

ONS is the Original Night Stalker, who killed and raped six people in southern CA from '79 to '86 (not to be confused with Richard Ramirez).
EAR is the East Area Rapist, a serial rapist who was active in Sacremento County from '76 to '79.
DNA tests conducted in 2001 connected ONS to EAR.

 

[Kreative Images]

In 1996, Orange County Forensic Scientists began reviewing DNA from the East Area Rapist (Sacramento area) and later on matched the DNA with at least six homicides in South Orange County. Crime scene DNA from the Jane Bennington murder did not match any of the EAR rapes or OC Murders connected together, nor did it match any other serial killers that murdered in Orange County around that time, including Gerald Parker, Randy Kraft, hillside stranglers, freeway killer, Ramirez as the Night Stalker, etc.

Her case remains unsolved with little clues and no closure.

 

[CastlesBurning]

Bumping for Jane...it's now been over 43 years.

 

[cddom]

There has been quite a bit of discussion regarding the unsolved murder of Jane Bennington, 29, in Corona Del Mar, CA on Aug. 2, 1977. Many have speculated, including authorities early on, that her rape/strangulation/murder was the beginning of the Original Night Stalker.

Jane was a friend of our family and her roommate stayed with us for months after the murder. Like many of you, I too thought that perhaps the EAR/ONS may have killed her since there was a time lapse between rapes in Sacramento at the time and the killer obviously upgraded to murder later on in nearby Dana Point and Irvine a few years later.

I am aware of many details that have been either misunderstood or interpreted incorrectly, however, I do know that cold case detectives have ruled out pretty much everyone I had considered as a suspect, including the ONS-EAR, Hillside Strangler, Orange Coast Killer, Randy Kraft, Gerald Parker and all the other bizarre serial killers that apparently prowled Southern California and Orange County in the mid 1970's, have been ruled out through DNA testing. Testing continues periodically. The last time her crime scene DNA was tested was 2007 (according to OC Cold Case Trackers Homicide Division.)

What puzzles me is that this case remains unsolved to this day. While there are many unsolved cases, this one is personal for me and I have spent the past couple of months looking into it.

If anyone has any information that I may not... especially if anyone knows of other unsolved murders in Orange County around that time. I would like to know how they died and what their stories are.

If you know something that you feel may add to this, please feel free to contact me by email @ kirk@rkitv.com.

Thank you

There has been quite a bit of discussion regarding the unsolved murder of Jane Bennington, 29, in Corona Del Mar, CA on Aug. 2, 1977. Many have speculated, including authorities early on, that her rape/strangulation/murder was the beginning of the Original Night Stalker.

Jane was a friend of our family and her roommate stayed with us for months after the murder. Like many of you, I too thought that perhaps the EAR/ONS may have killed her since there was a time lapse between rapes in Sacramento at the time and the killer obviously upgraded to murder later on in nearby Dana Point and Irvine a few years later.

I am aware of many details that have been either misunderstood or interpreted incorrectly, however, I do know that cold case detectives have ruled out pretty much everyone I had considered as a suspect, including the ONS-EAR, Hillside Strangler, Orange Coast Killer, Randy Kraft, Gerald Parker and all the other bizarre serial killers that apparently prowled Southern California and Orange County in the mid 1970's, have been ruled out through DNA testing. Testing continues periodically. The last time her crime scene DNA was tested was 2007 (according to OC Cold Case Trackers Homicide Division.)

What puzzles me is that this case remains unsolved to this day. While there are many unsolved cases, this one is personal for me and I have spent the past couple of months looking into it.

If anyone has any information that I may not... especially if anyone knows of other unsolved murders in Orange County around that time. I would like to know how they died and what their stories are.

If you know something that you feel may add to this, please feel free to contact me by email @ kirk@rkitv.com.

Thank you

I was a friends of Jane's in high school. I have made several calls to the Newport Beach police department over the past five years and a few weeks ago I was able to talk to a detective (Mike Fletcher) who told me they had identified her killer through DNA records. He has been dead for a number of years. I asked Detective Fletcher if there would be a press announcement and he said probably not. I couldn't believe that they wouldn't want to inform the public about this case. I have Detective's Fletcher's phone number if you want to speak with him.

Please let me know if you receive this message.

Thanks,
Cheryl Dominianni (I now live in Escondido, CA)

 

[cddom]

Bumping for Jane...it's now been over 43 years.

Good morning.

I was a good friend of Jane's in high school. Recently I spoke with a detective from the Newport Beach police department who informed me that they had solved this case through DNA testing. If you receive this post, please respond so I can give you additional information.

 

[Fede]

Was the DNA checked Joseph James DeAngelo´s DNA? Can the case be considered close?

 

[cddom]

I don't know as the Newport PD has made no press announcement due to what they call "family sensitivities." I think we all deserve to know exactly what happened to Jane 43 years ago! Let's make this announcement happen.