CA CA - Barbara Nantais, 15, Torrey Pines State Beach, 13 August 1978

It is hard to think it was anything but a serial killer. 1) the two murders had remarkable similarities and 2) someone who kills and mutilates doesn't just commit one murder and then stop.

 

I have a hard time believing it isn't a serial killer. Possibly you didn't read what I previously posted:
Both the Hough and Nantais murders have many conclusive and reported similarities that seem to be either a serial murderer or a copy cat. Outside of these possibilities it is difficult to see how the similarities could accurately be labelled as coincidences. The SDPD has said there is no link between the two BUT I think it is questionable whether this means they can't link the two or that they have CONCLUSIVELY eliminated the possibility of a link. Those are two ENTIRELY different positions. (I have noticed that in this case, if the SDPD says something, you should think very carefully about rather there could be more than one interpretation of that statement. Misleading statements seem at times to be deliberate.) Additionally, if SDPD keeps saying there is a link, it casts a shadow on whether they have actually solved Hough's murder.
Saying there is no link, helps them look better.

 

Sounds to me like they know who did this, and are waiting on forensics. Probably some inmate chatter brought this about.
Justice for all concerned.