CA CA - RODNEY HALBOWER, Gypsy Hill Murders, 1976

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Update for 9/10 from court site.

09/10/2018 Continued Jury Trial
Judicial Officer: Forcum, Mark R.
Hearing Time: 09:00 AM
Result: Held
Parties Present:
Defendant: HALBOWER, RODNEY LYNN
Attorney: HALLEY, JOHN

09/10/2018 Non-case party present:
Comment: Investigating officer Sergeant Bill Glasgo and Sergeant Lisandro Lopez

09/11/2018 Continued Jury Trial
Judicial Officer: Forcum, Mark R.
Hearing Time: 09:15 AM
 
*Trial continues (Day 13) (@ 9:15am PT) - CA - Veronica “Ronnie” Anne Cascio (18) (found Jan. 8, 1976) & Paula Baxter (17) (found Feb. 4, 1976) (San Mateo County/Gypsy Hill Murders) - Rodney Lynn Halbower (60/27 @ time of crime) arrested (11/20/17) & arraigned (4/11/17) with 2 counts of 1st degree murder & rape. Plead not guilty.
DNA match in 2014 after 40 years; he was in prison in Oregon @ this time). Trial started 8/22/18.
9/10/18 Update: Day 12: Witnesses: Investigating officer Sergeant Bill Glasgo and Sergeant Lisandro Lopez. Trial continues on 9/11.
 
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to Pjc to WS & this thread!

Are you a "local"? Just wondering - no need to answer if you don't want to! :)
 
Update from 9/11 and for 9/10:

09/10/2018 Jury Instructions
Comment: People's proposed

09/10/2018 Motions in Limine Filed
Comment: Defense's motion to exclude on hearsay and confrontation grounds certain documents on evidence collection and chain of custody

09/11/2018 Continued Jury Trial
Judicial Officer: Forcum, Mark R.
Hearing Time: 09:15 AM
Result: Held
Parties Present:
Defendant: HALBOWER, RODNEY LYNN
Attorney: HALLEY, JOHN

09/12/2018 Continued Jury Trial
Judicial Officer: Forcum, Mark R.
Hearing Time: 09:30 AM
 
Wednesday, Sept. 12th:
*Trial continues (Day 14) (@ 9:30am PT) - CA - Veronica “Ronnie” Anne Cascio (18) (found Jan. 8, 1976) & Paula Baxter (17) (found Feb. 4, 1976) (San Mateo County/Gypsy Hill Murders) - Rodney Lynn Halbower (60/27 @ time of crime) arrested (11/20/17) & arraigned (4/11/17) with 2 counts of 1st degree murder & rape. Plead not guilty.
DNA match in 2014 after 40 years; he was in prison in Oregon @ this time). Trial started 8/22/18.
9/10/18 Update: Day 12: Witnesses: Investigating officer Sergeant Bill Glasgo and Sergeant Lisandro Lopez. Jury Instructions. Comment: People’s proposed. Motions in Limine Filed. Comment: Defense’s motion to exclude on hearsay & confrontation grounds certain docs on evidence collection & chain of custody, Trial continues on 9/11.
9/11/18 Update: Day 13: Will get more info later. Trial continues on 9/12.
 
Some updates for 9/11 & 9/12

09/11/2018 Response to Motion in Limine File
Comment: People's

09/11/2018 Non-case party present:
Comment: Investigating officer : Sergeant Lisander Lopez and Sergeant Bill Glasgo
09/11/2018 Defendant ordered to return.
Comment: dressed out

09/12/2018 Continued Jury Trial
Judicial Officer: Forcum, Mark R.
Hearing Time: 09:30 AM
Result: Held
Parties Present:
Defendant: HALBOWER, RODNEY LYNN
Attorney: HALLEY, JOHN

09/13/2018 Continued Jury Trial
Judicial Officer: Forcum, Mark R.
Hearing Time: 09:15 AM
 
Thursday, Sept. 13th:
*Trial continues (Day 15) (@ 9:30am PT) - CA - Veronica “Ronnie” Anne Cascio (18) (found Jan. 8, 1976) & Paula Baxter (17) (found Feb. 4, 1976) (San Mateo County/Gypsy Hill Murders) - Rodney Lynn Halbower (60/27 @ time of crime) arrested (11/20/17) & arraigned (4/11/17) with 2 counts of 1st degree murder & rape. Plead not guilty.
DNA match in 2014 after 40 years; he was in prison in Oregon @ this time). Trial started 8/22/18.
9/11/18 Update: Day 13: Response to Motion in Limine Filed; Comment: People's. Witnesses: Investigating officer: Sergeant Lisander Lopez and Sergeant Bill Glasgo. Defendant ordered to return. Comment:dressed out. Trial continues to 9/12.
9/12/18 Update: Day 14: Will have more info later. Trial continues to 9/13.
 
Update from 9/12 & 9/13:

09/12/2018 Confidential Document:
Comment: Juror's (#7331149) note

09/13/2018 Continued Jury Trial
Judicial Officer: Forcum, Mark R.
Hearing Time: 09:15 AM
Result: Held
Parties Present:
Defendant: HALBOWER, RODNEY LYNN
Attorney: HALLEY, JOHN

09/14/2018 Continued Jury Trial
Judicial Officer: Forcum, Mark R.
Hearing Time: 09:15 AM


Wondering "what" that is about - juror's note?
 
Friday, Sept. 14th:
*Trial continues (Day 16) (@ 9:15am PT) - CA - Veronica “Ronnie” Anne Cascio (18) (found Jan. 8, 1976) & Paula Baxter (17) (found Feb. 4, 1976) (San Mateo County/Gypsy Hill Murders) - Rodney Lynn Halbower (60/27 @ time of crime) arrested (11/20/17) & arraigned (4/11/17) with 2 counts of 1st degree murder & rape. Plead not guilty.
DNA match in 2014 after 40 years; he was in prison in Oregon @ this time).
Trial started 8/22/18.
11/8/17: San Mateo Pros announced DNA evidence points to a different person for the April 1, 1976 killing of Denise Lampe (19) to Leon Melvin Seymour (71) was formally charged with murder. Seymour is already in custody as "inmate-patient" in Coalinga State Hospital. DNA evidence also linked Halbower to Michelle Mitchell (19) on Feb. 24, 1976 in Reno. He was incarcerated at the time of Lampe's murder. Tanya Blackwell (14) on Jan. 24, 1976 & Carol Lee Booth (26) on March 15, 1976 remain unsolved, insufficient DNA evidence, both in the Pacifica area.
8/5/18 Update: After trial will be transported to Nevada to face charges of murder & kidnapping of Michelle Mitchell. Halbower’s DNA was collected from a cigarette butt found under Mitchell’s body in Reno. In that case, on Feb. 24, 1976, Mitchell, 19, was killed when someone slit her throat shortly after her car broke down near the University of Nevada.
9/12/18 Update: Day 14: Confidential Document: Comment: Juror's (#7331149) note. Trial continues to 9/13.
9/13/18 Update: Day 15: Will have more info later. Trial continues to 9/14.

 
update on 9/13 & 9/14.

09/13/2018 Continued Jury Trial
Judicial Officer: Forcum, Mark R.
Hearing Time: 09:15 AM
Result: Held
Parties Present:
Defendant: HALBOWER, RODNEY LYNN
Attorney: HALLEY, JOHN

09/13/2018 Non-case party present:
Comment: Investigating Officers: Sergeant Lisandro Lopez and Sergeant Bill Glasgo
09/13/2018 Defendant ordered to return.

09/14/2018 Continued Jury Trial
Judicial Officer: Forcum, Mark R.
Hearing Time: 09:15 AM
Result: Held
Parties Present:
Defendant: HALBOWER, RODNEY LYNN
Attorney: HALLEY, JOHN

09/17/2018 Continued Jury Trial
Judicial Officer: Forcum, Mark R.
Hearing Time: 09:00 AM
 
Hi everyone!

This is my first time posting, but I am by no means a newbie on this case.

I started my websleuthing "career" in 2000 with one case in mind... The San Mateo Slasher aka The Gypsy Hill Killer.

I had just graduated high school in Millbrae, CA, when my parents told me about an unsolved serial killing from 1976. The Millbrae crime scene was essentially in our front yard. I immediately asked far more questions than my parents hazy memories could supply answers to & began expanding my search for information.

Over the past 18 years, I've spent countless hours pouring through case files, wading through old microfiche in library basements (yup, this was before this stuff was digitized), visiting crime scenes, talking to detectives and, of course, coming up with my own theories along the way.

I've filled too many binders & notebooks to count.

Now I'm sitting in a courtroom with him daily... mere feet from the monster I've spent exactly 1/2 of my life chasing. I have been the ONLY spectator there every single day since the start of the trial. I haven't missed a minute of it.

I'm ready to stop lurking in the websleuthing world & share what I've seen, learned, theorized & experienced along my crazy path of chasing the Gypsy Hill Killer.
 
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TheBigCheese to WS & this thread!

Can't wait to hear your take on the trial since you are there everyday! Not getting much from the news or updates on the court site.

Keep us update, please! :)
 
That is exactly why I ended up so interested in this case... there seemed to be NO information out there! It broke my heart to think that these girls may have been forgotten. Now I know this isn't the case... there have been family, friends and dedicated detectives remembering them & searching for answers all along the way.

With news of the arrest and trial, I thought no doubt, it would be a media circus ---front page news. Day 1 of the trial had a few reporters. Sadly, the AP article which was circulated was largely full of errors. Despite the defendants theatrics on that first day, only one reporter has returned... a woman from a small local paper, circulated weekly, by subscription only. As far as I can tell, it is only available in print. I have yet to be able to track it down... and I live here.

I can't wrap my head around why this case has received so little attention. There have been more twists & turns than I ever could have imagined! But I'm delighted to have found a group of like-minded folks who are asking the same questions I've been asking & hope to give you as many answers as I can, while continuing the search for more!
 
@TheBigCheese do you think there is any chance Halbower isn't the guy?

Elsewhere in California a man is about to go on trial for a vicious murder that took place 2 years ago. Some of us are wondering if there are more murders in his past.

He grew up in the San Mateo area and was 19 at the time of the Gypsy Hill murders...

CA - Pamela Johnson, 59, murdered, Alturas, 21 Feb 2017 *Arrest*
 
@Auntie Cipation ---

I certainly wouldn't call myself unbiased in regards to Rodney Halbower, but as far as the Veronica Cascio & Paula Baxter cases go, I feel very confident to say he's the guy. DNA found in semen samples recovered from those two crime scenes are a VERY strong match. According to expert testimony, "The chance of selecting a matching profile at random is less than 1 in 350,000,000,000." Yes, that's 350 BILLION.

As for Tanya Blackwell & Carol Booth, the similarities to the Cascio & Baxter cases are more than compelling; however, with no DNA recovered due to the degradation of the crime scenes, a definitive match isn't possible (who knows what the future of forensic sciences has in store for us though!). Denise Lampe's murder, which is no longer considered connected to the Gypsy Hills killings, has also been linked to another suspect through DNA. Leon Melvin Seymour, a serial rapist, civilly committed to Coalinga State Hospital, is currently awaiting trial on that charge.

Due to the vast & varied differences in MO, a match to Vogee in any of these cases seems unlikely... but I've learned that anything is possible! I'll definitely run him against some of my old San Mateo County cases though, particularly strangulations & blunt force trauma deaths. I'll share any info I think might help in your search!
 
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Thank you @TheBigCheese ! I agree about the vastly different MOs and I appreciate knowing of your confidence the right man is on trial for the Gypsy Hill cases.

Your other sleuthing is also appreciated!
 
Monday, Sept. 17th:
*Trial continues (Day 17) (@ 9am PT) - CA - Veronica “Ronnie” Anne Cascio (18) (found Jan. 8, 1976) & Paula Baxter (17) (found Feb. 4, 1976) (San Mateo County/Gypsy Hill Murders) - Rodney Lynn Halbower (60/27 @ time of crime) arrested (11/20/17) & arraigned (4/11/17) with 2 counts of 1st degree murder & rape. Plead not guilty.
DNA match in 2014 after 40 years; he was in prison in Oregon @ this time).
Trial started 8/22/18.
11/8/17: San Mateo Pros announced DNA evidence points to a different person for the April 1, 1976 killing of Denise Lampe (19) to Leon Melvin Seymour (71) was formally charged with murder. Seymour is already in custody as "inmate-patient" in Coalinga State Hospital. DNA evidence also linked Halbower to Michelle Mitchell (19) on Feb. 24, 1976 in Reno. He was incarcerated at the time of Lampe's murder. Tanya Blackwell (14) on Jan. 24, 1976 & Carol Lee Booth (26) on March 15, 1976 remain unsolved, insufficient DNA evidence, both in the Pacifica area.
8/5/18 Update: After trial will be transported to Nevada to face charges of murder & kidnapping of Michelle Mitchell. Halbower’s DNA was collected from a cigarette butt found under Mitchell’s body in Reno. In that case, on Feb. 24, 1976, Mitchell, 19, was killed when someone slit her throat shortly after her car broke down near the University of Nevada.
9/13/18 Update: Day 15: Investigating Officers: Sergeant Lisandro Lopez and Sergeant Bill Glasgo. Trial continues to 9/14.
9/14/18 Update: Day 16: No new info. Trial continues to 9/17.
 
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