CA CA - Pamela King John, 23, Vallejo, 12 Jan 1979

[Steph54]

On Saturday, January 20, 1979, the nude body of 23-year-old Pamela Jean King John was found floating in the Napa River 100 yards north of the boat ramp near the west bank at Kennedy Park. She was last seen in Vallejo, Solano County, on Friday, January 12.

Pamela Jean was married but preferred to use her maiden name, King.

Police identified her through fingerprints that were on file with the Napa Police Department from two 1976 arrests. A heroin addiction had led her to prostitution. According to the Napa Register, King “associated with violent elements of society.”

King may have been dead before entering the water. She had been dead 24-48 hours when found. Investigators theorized that she died from suffocation or strangulation.

Police suspected that her death might be linked to two incidents involving Vallejo friends of King that suggested foul play. One friend, in her late 20s, had been in a coma for the past two months as a result of mass insulin injections. Police became suspicious when they discovered the woman did not require insulin injections for a health condition. Another friend mysteriously disappeared two weeks prior to January 20, 1979.

 

[Richard]

Bumping this unusual case up. Are there any updates?

 

[sandy betts]

Where did you get the information Pamela Jean King had died from suffocation or strangulation? Because my search showed her death was bazar! And they still do not have a cause of death! Her murder from what I found, was like a Jack the Ripper type murder!

 

[sandy betts]

Where did you get the information Pamela Jean King had died from suffocation or strangulation? Because my search showed her death was bazar! And they still do not have a cause of death! Her murder from what I found, was like a Jack the Ripper type murder!

The police or investigators weren't able to tell if she was male or female. She had been killed one or two days before her body was found in the Napa River, so there wasn't decomposition yet. Why was it hard to know if she was male or female? My conclusion was that her female parts were removed, like in the Jack the Ripper cases. The Ripper targeted prostitutes, and Pam was a sex worker!

Whoever her killer was, this was not his first kill. Pam lived in Vallejo at the time of her murder, yet she was found in Napa. Did Pam get picked up in Vallejo by her killer and driven to Napa, where she was killed? I believe I read her shoes were on the bank of the river, which tells me her killer wanted the police to know where she was put in the river. The killer's DNA should be on the shoes!

Martin Luther King's birthday was January 15th. Did her killer plan to kill Pamela "King" on MLK birthday, but wasn't able to find her on that day, and found her a few days later. My suspect has an obsession with murder, anniversaries, and water!

One of the apartments I had in Napa, in the late 60s, was next to that river on Oak Street.

 

[Richard]

Pamela Jean King John, age 23
(15 August 1955 - 20 January 1979)

A memorial service was held January 26, 1979 at Skyview Memorial Chapel in Vallejo, California, for Pamela King John, 23, a former Napa resident.

Mrs. John’s body was discovered Saturday in the Napa River.

Born in San Francisco, she came to Napa as a youngster and attended schools here, graduating from Napa High. She later attended Napa College.

Mrs. John lived in Vallejo the past five years...

LINK:

Pamela (King) John (1955-1979) – Napa-Vintage 1973

Photos of Pamela Jean King John - Find a Grave...

Pamela Jean King was the daughter of William Raphael King and Fern Deloris Christianson. She was briefly married to Vernon Berdine John in 1977. He survives her. Her body was found in the Napa River according to an obituary in the Napa Valley Register newspaper; Jan. 24, 1979. She was born...

www.findagrave.com

 

[Leprikawn]

This sounds like an angry PIMP took her out.

 

[sandy betts]

This sounds like an angry PIMP took her out.

My suspect who claims to be Zodiac, was murdering prostitutes in Contra Costa County, CA., during the 1980s through 1999. I read an article months ago, and unfortunately, I can't find it. It stated the police weren't able to tell if she was male or female! What does that tell you, given that she was found within two days of being murdered? I need to find that article, because it seemed to me it was a copycat of Jack the Ripper!

 

[sandy betts]

I went to Vallejo yesterday and spoke to the librarian about the older VTH newspapers. She said they are no longer there, because they are being digitized. And won't be ready for at least two months! I want to find the article about Pamela King from January 20, 1979.

 

[Daphne1972]

"Pamela King John" - Search - Newspapers.com™

The largest online newspaper archive, established in 2012. Used by millions every month for genealogy and family history, historical research, crime investigations, journalism, and entertainment. Search for obituaries, marriage announcements, birth announcements, social pages, national and local...

www.newspapers.com

I've no account so only see snippets. She was found nude.

No 20 Jan 1979 article

 

[3llecia]

An article from 17 Feb 1979:

Second autopsy underway but drowning, gunshot, knife wound and natural causes ruled out.

Police looking heavily into overdose theory.

Police also looking into the circumstances of two friends. One 20 yr old woman was comatose for two months after an insulin overdose, the other went missing two weeks prior to publication.

 

[3llecia]

Her husband worked at a shipyard, retiring in May 1979. He was an equipment mechanic general foreman for 12 years.

This would be the shipbuilding site on the Napa River operated by Kaiser Steel between 1955-85.

Published in ‘The VIP’ May 13, 1979.

 

[sandy betts]

I read she had been strangled.