Found Deceased CA - Ronald Cole, 19, Fillmore, 1 May 1965 - remains found October 1966, identified January 2026

[The4TierBridge]

Identified by DNA as #UP51281, a human skeleton recovered near Geneseo, Henry County, Illinois, on October 27, 1966. COD was gunshot wound at base of skull.

1966 skeletal remains in Geneseo identified as missing California teen

Sixty years after his remains were found in Illinois, investigators have identified “Geneseo John Doe” as Ronald Joe Cole, a California teen missing since 1965.

www.wqad.com

 

[Rikissa]

As the link in post #21 is not available for European viewers, here's another link:

60 years later: Geneseo ’John Doe’ identified as missing California man

Deputies said the John Doe was identified as 19-year-old Ronald J. Cole who has been missing from Filmore, California since 1965.

www.kwqc.com

 

[iamshadow21]

Identified by DNA as #UP51281, a human skeleton recovered near Geneseo, Henry County, Illinois, on October 27, 1966. COD was gunshot wound at base of skull.

View attachment 637207View attachment 637208

1966 skeletal remains in Geneseo identified as missing California teen

Sixty years after his remains were found in Illinois, investigators have identified “Geneseo John Doe” as Ronald Joe Cole, a California teen missing since 1965.

www.wqad.com

They really did such a good job with the recon. It looks just like him.

Sleep well, Ronald.

 

[Rikissa]

His thread in the "Unidentified":

IL Post in thread 'IL - Henry Co., WhtMale 16-25, UP51281, near Cat/Oak Creek bridge, bullet hole to back of head, Oct 1966 - Ronald Joe Cole'

Yesterday at 12:14 PM

Geneseo John Doe 1966 | DNA Doe Project

dnadoeproject.org

Identified as 19-year-old Ronald Joe Cole of California

• victoriarobinson642

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[summergirl1]

I'm not surprised his half brother was never charged with killing him back then, as there was no known body. But why wasn't his half brother, David LaFever, not ever charged with killing his wife's Margaret's brother!?

I also wonder why his body was found so faraway. His half brother had known connections to Indianapolis, but not Illinois. Of course, disposing of a body faraway lessens the chance of a correct identification, especially back in the day. Still, that's a long distance to transport a body if Ronald was killed in California. His body was indeed by a creek, as David LaFever claimed to a family member (that's mentioned in an earlier post on this thread), just not the much more obvious one near Fillmore, CA that David mentioned.

 

[faithx]

Press release from the Ventura County Sheriff's Office:

Missing Person / Cold Case Update from Ventura County Sheriff's Office : Nixle

Nature of Incident: Missing Person / Cold Case Update Report Number: 84- 52993 Location: 400 Block of Foothill Drive, Fillmore Date & ...

nixle.us

Interview with Matthew Waterfield from the DNA Doe Project:

 

[faithx]

I'm not surprised his half brother was never charged with killing him back then, as there was no known body. But why wasn't his half brother, David LaFever, not ever charged with killing his wife's Margaret's brother!?

I also wonder why his body was found so faraway. His half brother had known connections to Indianapolis, but not Illinois. Of course, disposing of a body faraway lessens the chance of a correct identification, especially back in the day. Still, that's a long distance to transport a body if Ronald was killed in California. His body was indeed by a creek, as David LaFever claimed to a family member (that's mentioned in an earlier post on this thread), just not the much more obvious one near Fillmore, CA that David mentioned.

In the interview I posted above, Matthew Waterfield mentioned that Ronald's parents had lived in the Indianapolis area. I wonder if Ronald and David were traveling to Indianapolis to visit family members when the murder occurred.

 

[summergirl1]

October 6, 1984 The Indianapolis Star from Indianapolis, Indiana · Page 1

[FONT=&amp]From ORC Text

Ex-resident tied to brutal slayings
[/FONT]

The Indianapolis Star from Indianapolis, Indiana

On his now closed Doe thread, someone mentioned the way Ronald was killed (this was before he was identified), made them think of organized crime. Specifically, they mentioned the bullet hole at the base of his skull. Thinking about that, it's interesting his half brother claimed to be a hit man, and involved in organized crime. The killing of the LaSalle trio in Indianapolis, though, that he was suspected of possibly being involved with, did not involve them being shot.