CA - Linda Anne O’Keefe, 11, strangled, Newport Beach, 6 Jul 1973 *ARREST in 2019*
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Jim_M
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Wow! 100% agree! Thank you for putting those together. Amazing what those witnesses provided. IMHO
ETA: What if... Amber Alerts were in place? Would he have dropped LAO off if he heard they had witnesses providing a detailed eye witness report? Thank goodness our technology has really caught up to rescuing our victims.
oceanstarryeyes
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A list of missing children and murdered children needs to be compared to the locations that he has lived and the dates.
6 ft 2 in......probably taller than BG. MOO
Please get well, gregjrichards.
PommyMommy
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FEB 25, 2019
Monument man arrested after DNA ties him to 1973 murder of 11-year-old California girl
[...]
Neal was scheduled to be advised by video on the charges Feb. 20 but the hearing was rescheduled to the following morning so that he could appear in person.
He has not waived extradition to be sent to California for trial, Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer said at a news conference last week.
Fourth Judicial District Judge Deborah Grohs scheduled a hearing Thursday where Neal could disclose if he will fight efforts to send him to California to face murder allegations.
Only O’Keefe’s two sisters remain alive to celebrate the arrest, Spitzer said.
[...]
In addition to the DNA, authorities said Neal’s travels also seemed to match up with the killing.
In 1973, he lived in Orange County and worked in construction, but under a different name: James Alan George Leighton.
Shortly after the murder, authorities say, he moved to Florida, where an “incident” caused him to change his name to James Alan Neal.
Records indicate he moved to Monument in 2016 with his wife, his stepdaughter, her husband and at least one grandchild. They’ve been renting a house on Spaatz Road but were in the process of moving to a new Monument address, said the homeowner, Michael Thulson.
[...]
The Orange County District Attorney’s Office said it is considering seeking the death penalty against Neal, and police are investigating whether he may be tied to any other crimes.
Monument man arrested after DNA ties him to 1973 murder of 11-year-old California girl
[...]
Neal was scheduled to be advised by video on the charges Feb. 20 but the hearing was rescheduled to the following morning so that he could appear in person.
He has not waived extradition to be sent to California for trial, Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer said at a news conference last week.
Fourth Judicial District Judge Deborah Grohs scheduled a hearing Thursday where Neal could disclose if he will fight efforts to send him to California to face murder allegations.
Only O’Keefe’s two sisters remain alive to celebrate the arrest, Spitzer said.
[...]
In addition to the DNA, authorities said Neal’s travels also seemed to match up with the killing.
In 1973, he lived in Orange County and worked in construction, but under a different name: James Alan George Leighton.
Shortly after the murder, authorities say, he moved to Florida, where an “incident” caused him to change his name to James Alan Neal.
Records indicate he moved to Monument in 2016 with his wife, his stepdaughter, her husband and at least one grandchild. They’ve been renting a house on Spaatz Road but were in the process of moving to a new Monument address, said the homeowner, Michael Thulson.
[...]
The Orange County District Attorney’s Office said it is considering seeking the death penalty against Neal, and police are investigating whether he may be tied to any other crimes.
PommyMommy
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Feb 25, 2019 video from Inside Edition.
The sister of 11-year-old Linda O'Keefe, who was murdered 45 years ago, says she is relieved that an arrest has finally been made in the slaying. "I never ever really thought the day would come," Cindy Borgeson told Inside Edition. She was 18 when her sister vanished on her way home from school in Newport Beach, California, on July 6, 1973. Linda's body was found the following morning in a nearby nature preserve. Using DNA evidence, investigators arrested James Neal, 72, earlier this week.
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The article above mentions court on Thursday, but the court site shows this:
Date Len Name Hearing Type Case # Location Division
2/27/19
8:30 AM 1H NEAL, JAMES First Appearance D212019CR1028 El Paso County DIV 22-Room W370 (West Tower)
2/28/19
8:30 AM 1H NEAL, JAMES Rtrn Filing of Charges D212019CR1092 El Paso County DIV 18-ROOM S505 (South Tower)
link: Seventh Judicial District » Docket Search
Okay - the one on 2/27 is regarding Orange County trial & the one on Thursday, 2/28 is regarding his extradition hearing.
Strange - how can they do the Orange county one in Colorado?? Or else I have them mixed up?
I think I asked this before - does anyone know how to look up the case # for each of these dates? TIA!
Date Len Name Hearing Type Case # Location Division
2/27/19
8:30 AM 1H NEAL, JAMES First Appearance D212019CR1028 El Paso County DIV 22-Room W370 (West Tower)
2/28/19
8:30 AM 1H NEAL, JAMES Rtrn Filing of Charges D212019CR1092 El Paso County DIV 18-ROOM S505 (South Tower)
link: Seventh Judicial District » Docket Search
Okay - the one on 2/27 is regarding Orange County trial & the one on Thursday, 2/28 is regarding his extradition hearing.
Strange - how can they do the Orange county one in Colorado?? Or else I have them mixed up?
I think I asked this before - does anyone know how to look up the case # for each of these dates? TIA!
The article above mentions court on Thursday, but the court site shows this:
Date Len Name Hearing Type Case # Location Division
2/27/19
8:30 AM 1H NEAL, JAMES First Appearance D212019CR1028 El Paso County DIV 22-Room W370 (West Tower)
2/28/19
8:30 AM 1H NEAL, JAMES Rtrn Filing of Charges D212019CR1092 El Paso County DIV 18-ROOM S505 (South Tower)
link: Seventh Judicial District » Docket Search
Okay - the one on 2/27 is regarding Orange County trial & the one on Thursday, 2/28 is regarding his extradition hearing.
Strange - how can they do the Orange county one in Colorado?? Or else I have them mixed up?
I think I asked this before - does anyone know how to look up the case # for each of these dates? TIA!
Most of these court web sites are a pain, right? I need some more coffee before I can start fiddling with these.
ETA: Also, I assume they're calling him by the name James Neal, instead of using his birth name?
Last edited:
Yes, this new genetic genealogy technique is really blowing up.
You may enjoy reading the WS thread set up for listing cold cases now being solved by it.
DNA Solves Cold Cases/Parabon Nanolabs & GED/Match.
jewelsmac
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thanks so much!
oceanstarryeyes
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Wednesday, February 27th:
*First Appearance Hearing (@ 8:30am MT) – CO / CA – Linda Anne O’Keefe (11) (July 6, 1973, Newport Beach, found strangled) - *James Alan Neal (72/27 @ time of crime) arrested (2/18/19 in Monument, CO) & charged (2/19/19) with special-circumstances murder (because of enhancements for allegedly kidnapping & lewd acts), kidnapping during the commission of a murder & willful premeditated lewd & lascivious act upon a child under 14. Held in El Paso jail without bond.
El Paso County, CO. #D212019CR1092 (for 2/28 hrng) / Orange County, CA. #D212019CR1028 (for 2/27 hrng)
DNA match thru genealogy website Family Tree DNA; Parabon Snapshot produced (2018). (akas: James Allen George Layton (name used in his 20s), James Albert Layton, Allen George Gilstrap & James Albert).
2/19/19 First appearance hearing on Case #D212019CR1092. Next Return Filing of Charges on 2/28. Judge Deborah Grohs scheduled a hearing Thursday (2/28) where Neal could disclose if he will fight efforts to send him to California to face murder allegations. Next hearing on Case #D212019CR1028 is First appearance on 2/27.
*First Appearance Hearing (@ 8:30am MT) – CO / CA – Linda Anne O’Keefe (11) (July 6, 1973, Newport Beach, found strangled) - *James Alan Neal (72/27 @ time of crime) arrested (2/18/19 in Monument, CO) & charged (2/19/19) with special-circumstances murder (because of enhancements for allegedly kidnapping & lewd acts), kidnapping during the commission of a murder & willful premeditated lewd & lascivious act upon a child under 14. Held in El Paso jail without bond.
El Paso County, CO. #D212019CR1092 (for 2/28 hrng) / Orange County, CA. #D212019CR1028 (for 2/27 hrng)
DNA match thru genealogy website Family Tree DNA; Parabon Snapshot produced (2018). (akas: James Allen George Layton (name used in his 20s), James Albert Layton, Allen George Gilstrap & James Albert).
2/19/19 First appearance hearing on Case #D212019CR1092. Next Return Filing of Charges on 2/28. Judge Deborah Grohs scheduled a hearing Thursday (2/28) where Neal could disclose if he will fight efforts to send him to California to face murder allegations. Next hearing on Case #D212019CR1028 is First appearance on 2/27.
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Update from yesterday (2/27) in red
Thursday, February 28th:
*Return Filing of Charges Hearing (@ 8:30am MT) – CO / CA – Linda Anne O’Keefe (11) (July 6, 1973, Newport Beach, found strangled) - *James Alan Neal (72/27 @ time of crime) arrested (2/18/19 in Monument, CO) & charged (2/19/19) with special-circumstances murder (because of enhancements for allegedly kidnapping & lewd acts), kidnapping during the commission of a murder & willful premeditated lewd & lascivious act upon a child under 14. Held in El Paso jail without bond.
El Paso County, CO. #D212019CR1092 (murder charges for 2/28 hrng) / Orange County, CA. #D212019CR1028 (for 2/27 hrng)
DNA match thru genealogy website Family Tree DNA; Parabon Snapshot produced (2018). (akas: James Allen George Layton (name used in his 20s), James Albert Layton, Allen George Gilstrap & James Albert).
2/19/19 First appearance hearing on Case #D212019CR1092. Next Return Filing of Charges on 2/28. Judge Deborah Grohs scheduled a hearing Thursday (2/28) where Neal could disclose if he will fight efforts to send him to California to face murder allegations. Next hearing on Case #D212019CR1028 is First appearance on 2/27.
2/27/19 Update: Case# CR1028 next hearing Appearance of Counsel on 3/4/19.
Thursday, February 28th:
*Return Filing of Charges Hearing (@ 8:30am MT) – CO / CA – Linda Anne O’Keefe (11) (July 6, 1973, Newport Beach, found strangled) - *James Alan Neal (72/27 @ time of crime) arrested (2/18/19 in Monument, CO) & charged (2/19/19) with special-circumstances murder (because of enhancements for allegedly kidnapping & lewd acts), kidnapping during the commission of a murder & willful premeditated lewd & lascivious act upon a child under 14. Held in El Paso jail without bond.
El Paso County, CO. #D212019CR1092 (murder charges for 2/28 hrng) / Orange County, CA. #D212019CR1028 (for 2/27 hrng)
DNA match thru genealogy website Family Tree DNA; Parabon Snapshot produced (2018). (akas: James Allen George Layton (name used in his 20s), James Albert Layton, Allen George Gilstrap & James Albert).
2/19/19 First appearance hearing on Case #D212019CR1092. Next Return Filing of Charges on 2/28. Judge Deborah Grohs scheduled a hearing Thursday (2/28) where Neal could disclose if he will fight efforts to send him to California to face murder allegations. Next hearing on Case #D212019CR1028 is First appearance on 2/27.
2/27/19 Update: Case# CR1028 next hearing Appearance of Counsel on 3/4/19.
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Authorities used the genealogical website FamilyTreeDNA to link O’Neal to DNA evidence found on O’Keefe’s body.
Colorado Man Headed Back to California to Face Trial in Girl’s 1973 Killing
Colorado Man Headed Back to California to Face Trial in Girl’s 1973 Killing
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Never mind I found an article I could read!
Here's an update on his stuff:
Date Len Name Hearing Type Case # Location Division
3/4/19
8:30 AM 1H NEAL, JAMES Appearance of Counsel D212019CR1028 El Paso County DIV 1-ROOM S405 (South Tower)
link: Seventh Judicial District » Docket Search
this article:
Monument man suspected in 1973 murder will be extradited to California
has: Should California authorities not arrange for his transportation back to the golden state, he has a hearing scheduled in El Paso County court on March 14 at 9 a.m.
has 3/14 as his next hearing. Wondering if that is a typo in the article? Nothing on the court site about 3/14 just 3/4 & they usually put everything that will be happening.
I guess I'll put him on both dates, if he hasn't been extradited yet.
Here's an update on his stuff:
Date Len Name Hearing Type Case # Location Division
3/4/19
8:30 AM 1H NEAL, JAMES Appearance of Counsel D212019CR1028 El Paso County DIV 1-ROOM S405 (South Tower)
link: Seventh Judicial District » Docket Search
this article:
Monument man suspected in 1973 murder will be extradited to California
has: Should California authorities not arrange for his transportation back to the golden state, he has a hearing scheduled in El Paso County court on March 14 at 9 a.m.
has 3/14 as his next hearing. Wondering if that is a typo in the article? Nothing on the court site about 3/14 just 3/4 & they usually put everything that will be happening.
I guess I'll put him on both dates, if he hasn't been extradited yet.
YESorNO
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Young women murdered decades ago may finally find justice through new controversial DNA tool
Six murder victims, and the genetic genealogy used this year to ID suspects.
Mar 2, 2019
"...In the first two months of 2019, suspects -- some of whom have already died -- were identified in at least six previously unsolved killings of young women and girls across the U.S. through the new, but controversial, technique.
Genetic genealogy takes an unknown killer's DNA from a crime scene and identifies the suspect through his or her family members, who voluntarily submit their DNA to genealogy databases. This allows police to create a much larger family tree than using regular law enforcement databases, in which an exact match to the suspect is needed in most states, according to CeCe Moore, chief genetic genealogist with Parabon NanoLabs, which has worked on the majority of the cases....
The technique and an arrest in February brought the family of 11-year-old Linda O’Keefe, who was strangled to death in Southern California in 1973, one step closer to finding closure.
DNA recovered from Linda's body was put into the CODIS, but there was no hit, prosecutors said.
Through genealogical DNA, investigators matched that crime scene DNA to the DNA of James Neal....
Neal, who was arrested in Colorado, appeared in court Thursday and waived extradition to California, said El Paso County Sheriff’s Department spokeswoman Jacqueline Kirby....."
Young women murdered decades ago may finally find justice through new controversial DNA tool
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Six murder victims, and the genetic genealogy used this year to ID suspects.
Mar 2, 2019
"...In the first two months of 2019, suspects -- some of whom have already died -- were identified in at least six previously unsolved killings of young women and girls across the U.S. through the new, but controversial, technique.
Genetic genealogy takes an unknown killer's DNA from a crime scene and identifies the suspect through his or her family members, who voluntarily submit their DNA to genealogy databases. This allows police to create a much larger family tree than using regular law enforcement databases, in which an exact match to the suspect is needed in most states, according to CeCe Moore, chief genetic genealogist with Parabon NanoLabs, which has worked on the majority of the cases....
The technique and an arrest in February brought the family of 11-year-old Linda O’Keefe, who was strangled to death in Southern California in 1973, one step closer to finding closure.
DNA recovered from Linda's body was put into the CODIS, but there was no hit, prosecutors said.
Through genealogical DNA, investigators matched that crime scene DNA to the DNA of James Neal....
Neal, who was arrested in Colorado, appeared in court Thursday and waived extradition to California, said El Paso County Sheriff’s Department spokeswoman Jacqueline Kirby....."
Young women murdered decades ago may finally find justice through new controversial DNA tool
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
IHAVENOCLUE
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wow!
though I do not know any of the people involved in this case...
I have seen this poor girl's name and location many times as I scroll through WS cases...
amazing that new genealogy DNA testing is solving cold cases!
this poor girl was dumped like trash in the Back Bay of Newport Beach...
This is one of my fave places to kayak...
I grew up in a neighboring city...
And still live in the general area...
And visit Newport Beach often!
Glad the sisters are getting some type of closure...
though I do not know any of the people involved in this case...
I have seen this poor girl's name and location many times as I scroll through WS cases...
amazing that new genealogy DNA testing is solving cold cases!
this poor girl was dumped like trash in the Back Bay of Newport Beach...
This is one of my fave places to kayak...
I grew up in a neighboring city...
And still live in the general area...
And visit Newport Beach often!
Glad the sisters are getting some type of closure...