Found Deceased CA - Elizabeth Ernstein, 14, Redlands, 18 March 1968

[Force Ten]

What a joke.

 

[Jeff E]

Been a while.
About James G. I always thought he was just different, a bit weird maybe, and he is now in his late 70's if he is still alive. I never contacted him as I don't remember him and if he needs to say anything he can say it here. One oddity is on his post of 12-19-2009. Why is there a link for a arthur king harrington on MySpace?

One of the members pointed out to me some years ago that James Earl Ray did travel from Los Angeles to Atlanta Georgia on March 18th, 1968 arriving on the 24th. Going through San Bernardino, near Redlands, would have been the way to go back then. It would be interesting to have the trunk of that old white Mustang tested but it was probably steam cleaned. I found somewhere that it was sold at auction some time ago. Considering his criminal history this lead seemed best to me.

Hesperia 1967. I don't know if this helps, but the population was less than 10,000 back then. A small town with lots of ranches.

What happened to PMs on the board? I don't see them.

Thanks to all of you for your help and interest over the years.

 

[Richard]

Elizabeth's body was found and eventually identified, but her murder remains unsolved after 54 years.

Elizabeth Lurene Ernstein

On 19 March 1968 Elizabeth Lurene Ernstein, age 14 was heading from Moore Junior High School in Mentone to her home in Redlands (near San Bernardino, California). The young, brown-haired girl, wearing a blue dress with white flowers, dark olive corduroy reversible coat and tennis shoes.

She was seen leaving the school at approximately 3:40 pm. Somewhere along her route, Elizabeth Ernstein vanished. A Redlands businessman thought he saw a girl resembling Elizabeth walking toward the corner of the street on which she lived.

Her body was discovered in 1969 in a shallow grave near Wrightwood, 33 miles northwest of Redlands...



LINKS:

Elizabeth Lurene Ernstein, b.1953 d.1968 - Ancestry®

Elizabeth Lurene Ernstein born 1953 in Columbus, Franklin, Ohio, USA genealogy record - Ancestry®.

www.ancestry.com

Sauk Centre Herald December 12 Page 2

Sauk Centre Herald Newspaper Archive Sauk Centre Minnesota; December 12 1968 Page 2. Topics include sauk, centre, home, tree, christmas, school, ernstein, elizabeth, december, county, water, farm, day, daughter, city, board, street, redlands, parents, workshop, ruth, office, minnesota, help...

sau.stparchive.com

THE MURDER OF ELIZABETH ERNSTEIN

The Zodiac Killer stated in the March 13th 1971 'Los Angeles' letter " I do have to give them credit for stumbling across my riverside activity, but they are only finding the easy ones, there are a...

www.zodiacciphers.com

 

[Richard]

Elizabeth Lurene Ernstein age 14 (1953 - 1968)

 

[Force Ten]

Elizabeth's body was found and eventually identified, but her murder remains unsolved after 54 years.

Elizabeth Lurene Ernstein

On 19 March 1968 Elizabeth Lurene Ernstein, age 14 was heading from Moore Junior High School in Mentone to her home in Redlands (near San Bernardino, California). The young, brown-haired girl, wearing a blue dress with white flowers, dark olive corduroy reversible coat and tennis shoes.

She was seen leaving the school at approximately 3:40 pm. Somewhere along her route, Elizabeth Ernstein vanished. A Redlands businessman thought he saw a girl resembling Elizabeth walking toward the corner of the street on which she lived.

Her body was discovered in 1969 in a shallow grave near Wrightwood, 33 miles northwest of Redlands...



LINKS:

Elizabeth Lurene Ernstein, b.1953 d.1968 - Ancestry®

Elizabeth Lurene Ernstein born 1953 in Columbus, Franklin, Ohio, USA genealogy record - Ancestry®.

www.ancestry.com

Sauk Centre Herald December 12 Page 2

Sauk Centre Herald Newspaper Archive Sauk Centre Minnesota; December 12 1968 Page 2. Topics include sauk, centre, home, tree, christmas, school, ernstein, elizabeth, december, county, water, farm, day, daughter, city, board, street, redlands, parents, workshop, ruth, office, minnesota, help...

sau.stparchive.com

THE MURDER OF ELIZABETH ERNSTEIN

The Zodiac Killer stated in the March 13th 1971 'Los Angeles' letter " I do have to give them credit for stumbling across my riverside activity, but they are only finding the easy ones, there are a...

www.zodiacciphers.com

James commented on that Zodiac posting, oddly enough so did his daughter 30 minutes later. She said there was abduction/murder in Prospect Park in ‘68. I searched newspaper archives and I found no such report.

 

[Force Ten]

Been a while.
About James G. I always thought he was just different, a bit weird maybe, and he is now in his late 70's if he is still alive. I never contacted him as I don't remember him and if he needs to say anything he can say it here. One oddity is on his post of 12-19-2009. Why is there a link for a arthur king harrington on MySpace?

One of the members pointed out to me some years ago that James Earl Ray did travel from Los Angeles to Atlanta Georgia on March 18th, 1968 arriving on the 24th. Going through San Bernardino, near Redlands, would have been the way to go back then. It would be interesting to have the trunk of that old white Mustang tested but it was probably steam cleaned. I found somewhere that it was sold at auction some time ago. Considering his criminal history this lead seemed best to me.

Hesperia 1967. I don't know if this helps, but the population was less than 10,000 back then. A small town with lots of ranches.

What happened to PMs on the board? I don't see them.

Thanks to all of you for your help and interest over the years.

That is or was his MySpace. It’s strange, you used to be able to see all his pictures but now they’re not available. But there were some pictures of his “favorite place” San Timoteo canyon. In 1966 a hitchhiker was picked up, taken to this canyon and raped. 1971 a woman was found dead at the very same intersection the hitchhiker was abducted from. Although I’m guessing that canyon is probably popular to locals.

 

[rosesfromangels]

1968 San Bernardino, like many other cities around the nation, was a hot bed for protests against racial inequality and segregation:

Fighting School Segregation in San Bernardino

How activists challenged a geography of segregation in the 1960s

storymaps.arcgis.com

Do we know if Elizabeth, or any of Elizabeth's family was involved in the equality movement? If so, this might have made her a target for the unbalanced mind.

Second, while the crime against Elizabeth could have been random, I don't think it was. I speculate she was targeted, stalked, and they lay in wait for her. This leads me to ponder if anyone close to her family, who had routine contact with Elizabeth went on to be incarcerated for any crime, subsequent to her disappearance.

My amateur profile would be someone she knew and within 5-7 years age range. He would have been abused as a child, maybe even had a head injury at some point. Likely abused younger siblings and/or animals. If he didn't end up in jail for domestic abuse, rape, or similar, he is a known domestic abuser. He's a "bad guy" and people are afraid of him. He abuses alcohol, and maybe drugs. Inflicting pain and control is his thing. I don't think he was some random monster, I think he was likely a friend of the family; part of the gang. Although, many would know he could have possibly been the Perp, but have just kept their mouths shut. If not incarcerated, he probably still lives in the house he grew up in.
Amateur profile!!

Amateur opinion and speculation

 

[Force Ten]

1968 San Bernardino, like many other cities around the nation, was a hot bed for protests against racial inequality and segregation:

Fighting School Segregation in San Bernardino

How activists challenged a geography of segregation in the 1960s

storymaps.arcgis.com

Do we know if Elizabeth, or any of Elizabeth's family was involved in the equality movement? If so, this might have made her a target for the unbalanced mind.

Second, while the crime against Elizabeth could have been random, I don't think it was. I speculate she was targeted, stalked, and they lay in wait for her. This leads me to ponder if anyone close to her family, who had routine contact with Elizabeth went on to be incarcerated for any crime, subsequent to her disappearance.

My amateur profile would be someone she knew and within 5-7 years age range. He would have been abused as a child, maybe even had a head injury at some point. Likely abused younger siblings and/or animals. If he didn't end up in jail for domestic abuse, rape, or similar, he is a known domestic abuser. He's a "bad guy" and people are afraid of him. He abuses alcohol, and maybe drugs. Inflicting pain and control is his thing. I don't think he was some random monster, I think he was likely a friend of the family; part of the gang. Although, many would know he could have possibly been the Perp, but have just kept their mouths shut. If not incarcerated, he probably still lives in the house he grew up in.
Amateur profile!!

Amateur opinion and speculation

In the many cases I’ve looked at, those buried verses discarded along a roadside, turn out to be victims of someone they knew. So I’m in agreement with you, she knew her murderer.

 

[Jeff E]

Indeed San Timoteo Canyon was a popular spot with teenagers for partying in the late sixties and into the early seventies as there were only a few ranches back then.

None of the family was involved in any movement or protests back then.

East Highland Rd. was the way she walked home. Back then it was one lane, potholes, maybe one car every 2 to 4 hours, mostly orange grove workers. People didn't normally drive that road. Somewhat like the picture below but much more narrow.

 

[rosesfromangels]

Indeed San Timoteo Canyon was a popular spot with teenagers for partying in the late sixties and into the early seventies as there were only a few ranches back then.

None of the family was involved in any movement or protests back then.

East Highland Rd. was the way she walked home. Back then it was one lane, potholes, maybe one car every 2 to 4 hours, mostly orange grove workers. People didn't normally drive that road. Somewhat like the picture below but much more narrow.

BBM. This jumped out

Amateur opinion and speculation

 

[Richard]

James commented on that Zodiac posting, oddly enough so did his daughter 30 minutes later. She said there was abduction/murder in Prospect Park in ‘68. I searched newspaper archives and I found no such report.

Older cases are not easy to find on line. The San Bernardino Sheriff Office has jurisdiction in Elizabeth's case, but their website only lists cold cases going back as far as 1974.

There is a theater in Prospect Park, CA that is supposedly haunted. An unsubstantiated rumor has it that an 11 year-old girl was murdered there at some unspecified time. Details of the rumor are sketchy, but perhaps this is what the Zodiac site poster was referring to.

Here is a link to a recently solved California cold case from 14 March 1968. This previously unidentified murder victim - and her killer - were identified by DNA in 2020. There was a lot of press and renewed interest in the case at that time. Other than the closeness in dates (within a week earlier than Elizabeth's murder), I don't know if there are any connections, but this also might be what the poster was referencing?

DNA Identifies California 1968 Homicide Victim and Suspect

Orange County investigators have solved a 52-year-old rape-and-murder mystery, thanks to advances in DNA technology, police said Wednesday. The rape and murder of an unidentified woman on March 14, 1968, at Newland Street and Yorktown Avenue, had gone unsolved until investigators were able to...

www.nbcnewyork.com

 

[Force Ten]

Older cases are not easy to find on line. The San Bernardino Sheriff Office has jurisdiction in Elizabeth's case, but their website only lists cold cases going back as far as 1974.

There is a theater in Prospect Park, CA that is supposedly haunted. An unsubstantiated rumor has it that an 11 year-old girl was murdered there at some unspecified time. Details of the rumor are sketchy, but perhaps this is what the Zodiac site poster was referring to.

Here is a link to a recently solved California cold case from 14 March 1968. This previously unidentified murder victim - and her killer - were identified by DNA in 2020. There was a lot of press and renewed interest in the case at that time. Other than the closeness in dates (within a week earlier than Elizabeth's murder), I don't know if there are any connections, but this also might be what the poster was referencing?

DNA Identifies California 1968 Homicide Victim and Suspect

Orange County investigators have solved a 52-year-old rape-and-murder mystery, thanks to advances in DNA technology, police said Wednesday. The rape and murder of an unidentified woman on March 14, 1968, at Newland Street and Yorktown Avenue, had gone unsolved until investigators were able to...

www.nbcnewyork.com

I remember that case, that happened in my home town. It’s amazing they’re solving these cases so many years later. Too bad it’s too late to prosecute. I never searched OC for missing in my search.