They matched his remains to David lenz. The reason it took so long is because they have his as 5'5" in his missing person report. So when they ran the remains through the system. David didn't come up as an option. It was DNA that made the match. Incredible stuff I am very grateful for.
Identified! CA - Newhall, Male 1000UMCA, 22-45, found buried, Feb'93 - David Lenz
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Thanks for letting us know, and welcome to websleuths
:welcome5:
What probably happened was they misinterpreted 6'5" (i.e., 6 feet 5 inches, or 77 inches) as 65 inches, and then stated 65 inches as 5'5". That kind of error happens frequently.
:welcome5:
What probably happened was they misinterpreted 6'5" (i.e., 6 feet 5 inches, or 77 inches) as 65 inches, and then stated 65 inches as 5'5". That kind of error happens frequently.
Sorry for your loss, S. Lenz.
I wish we could help you figure out what happened to your dad.
I grew up not too far away from Newhall and there was always whispers about that area being a good place to bury someone. There were a few stories of people who could not afford funerals who would go out there and find a nice spot for a loved one. Not sure if those are true stories or not.
I wish we could help you figure out what happened to your dad.
I grew up not too far away from Newhall and there was always whispers about that area being a good place to bury someone. There were a few stories of people who could not afford funerals who would go out there and find a nice spot for a loved one. Not sure if those are true stories or not.
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S.Lenz:
Your father's missing persons pages in DoeNetwork and Charley Project both indicate only that he was missing from Los Angeles County.
From what part of Los Angeles was he missing? Did he live in the Santa Clarita Valley area?
Your father's missing persons pages in DoeNetwork and Charley Project both indicate only that he was missing from Los Angeles County.
From what part of Los Angeles was he missing? Did he live in the Santa Clarita Valley area?
UncoolNegated
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In the original post it was written that the body was discovered by teenagers digging in the area. Maybe they were digging because they couldn't afford a funeral for someone.
JupiterAmmon
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Glad to see this case solved, finally his family can have closure.
That could be...but in recent history (last 15-20 years or so) that general area has become busier and busier. It used to be remote areas with ranches and a few small towns, lots of pristine canyons, etc. But with the housing boom many of the areas have been built up. There are still a lot of desolate canyons and other nooks and crannies- but now on the 14 and San fernando road, and all the other byways have traffic. So I am not sure that kind of thing is still going on or not.
It is strange that those kids were digging that deep of a hole. But I have witnessed teens in SoCal and in the "heartland" of CA digging holes like that to make a hideout of sorts. They dig a hole and put plywood over the top, leaving a gap for light. I always thought they did it for fun, but now that I am older I wonder if it becomes a place for them to smoke out or whatever. Typical working class houses in this area are fairly small (and I think they lived in a trailer??) so maybe they needed privacy? I don't know, but it is an interesting issue.
I also am interested in what area Mr. Lenz was from. I would guess the SF Valley area/northern LA. If he was in the southern part of LA people would probably take the body to the Angeles Natnl Forest. If he was in the Riverside/Palmdale areas, I could see burying him in the high desert. That is just my opinion, of course.
I hope that the discovery of Mr. Lenz can start a trail to find out what happened to him. Was he murdered? Killed in an accident and buried by a friend? I would assume if his family put him there they would have eventually told his son what happened.
I would also like to wrap up this long winded post by saying: the soil there is somewhat hard packed and it is hard to dig that deep. It takes a lot of effort and time.
I just looked at the map of the area- and I think there might be confusion about the address. Not that it matters too much. Basically, the mobile home park is near the intersection of Newhall Rd and the 14, but the address that they give of the mobile home park, 23450 San Fernando, is 2 miles away. I wonder since things got more developed there, the street address/names changed? Or google maps is wrong?
Anyway, the SF rd address is almost underneath the 5, 14 and the old road. I think it is more likely that he was buried on the hillside near the intersection of Newhall and the 14 across from the mobile home park. Why? Because it takes some time to dig a hole and I can't see them doing it at the intersection of a few roads. Also, the boys would have been more likely digging across the street from their mobile home park.
The only reason I bring it up (because really doesn't matter to us) is because that mobile home park was there in 1980. So whoever buried the body wasn't that far away from an established mobile home park, plus a few houses. Pretty risky. There is tree cover IIRC, but still...maybe the perp was from the mobile home park or otherwise familiar with the area and knew he would be safe from discovery? Because if he just drove a 1/2 to 1 mi farther it would have been completely deserted.
Also of note: if he was buried across Newhall Rd from the mobile home park....just over that rise is a large cemetery.
Anyway, the SF rd address is almost underneath the 5, 14 and the old road. I think it is more likely that he was buried on the hillside near the intersection of Newhall and the 14 across from the mobile home park. Why? Because it takes some time to dig a hole and I can't see them doing it at the intersection of a few roads. Also, the boys would have been more likely digging across the street from their mobile home park.
The only reason I bring it up (because really doesn't matter to us) is because that mobile home park was there in 1980. So whoever buried the body wasn't that far away from an established mobile home park, plus a few houses. Pretty risky. There is tree cover IIRC, but still...maybe the perp was from the mobile home park or otherwise familiar with the area and knew he would be safe from discovery? Because if he just drove a 1/2 to 1 mi farther it would have been completely deserted.
Also of note: if he was buried across Newhall Rd from the mobile home park....just over that rise is a large cemetery.
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The mobile home park is 23450 Newhall Ave (Not 23450 San Fernando Rd.). If you google 23450 San Fernando Road, it pinpoints a spot right in the middle of the Interstate 5/Hwy 14 interchange.
That interchange has been there since before the 70's, although it has collapsed twice and was rebuilt, once in the 1971 Sylmar earthquake, and again in the 1994 Northridge earthquake (See Image below).
Thanks for confirming that for me. I was confusing myself 
That interchange...I have driven through it 1000s of times- that is why I was pretty sure the address was not right. I lived through the NR earthquake and the aftermath, and let me tell you- it was a pain going through that area to Santa Clarita valley- but it got me more familiar with this area in Newhall that we are talking about.
Anyways, I don't know the name of the cemetery right there off sierra hwy-- I wonder if the body was buried just outside of it, or further away down the hill. Given that it was buried a ways under, I wonder if someone was trying to give him a "proper" burial.
I didn't see a cause of death. Did I miss it?
That interchange...I have driven through it 1000s of times- that is why I was pretty sure the address was not right. I lived through the NR earthquake and the aftermath, and let me tell you- it was a pain going through that area to Santa Clarita valley- but it got me more familiar with this area in Newhall that we are talking about.
Anyways, I don't know the name of the cemetery right there off sierra hwy-- I wonder if the body was buried just outside of it, or further away down the hill. Given that it was buried a ways under, I wonder if someone was trying to give him a "proper" burial.
I didn't see a cause of death. Did I miss it?