A man accused of murder in 1991 was arrested after living under a false identity: police
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California authorities have announced an arrest in a 35-year-old cold case in which a mother mysteriously disappeared from her home, leaving behind her young child and all of her belongings.
James Lawhead Jr., 64, was arrested in Bullhead City, Ariz., on Friday and is charged with the 1991 kidnapping and murder of Cindy Wanner, according to the Placer County Sheriff’s Office.
“This is one of the most infamous and horrific cold cases we have here in Placer County. We will never stop pursuing justice for Cindy and her family, we hope this is a small step in the healing process,” Placer County Sheriff Wayne Woo said in a statement.
Wagner was 35 years old when she disappeared from her home in Granite Bay, Calif., on November 25, 1991. She left her 11-month-old baby alone in a high chair, along with her car, shoes and coat.
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Cindy Wagner disappeared from her home in Granite Bay, Calif., on Nov. 25, 1991, at the age of 35. (Placer County Sheriff’s Office)
Three weeks later, his body was found in a remote area near Foreshill about 40 kilometers from home.
Authorities determined Wagner had been strangled.
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James Lawhead Jr., 64, was arrested in Bullhead City, Ariz., on Friday and faces charges related to the 1991 kidnapping and murder of Cindy Wanner, according to the County Sheriff’s Office. (Placer County Sheriff’s Office)
The search for Wagner’s killer went cold, until authorities turned over the last piece of evidence to the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office for DNA testing to name Lawhead as a suspect, officials said.
Lawhead, who was 30 at the time of Wagner’s alleged murder, was released from prison in 1991 after serving 11 years in prison for sex offenses involving a child.
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Cindy Wagner was found strangled three weeks after her disappearance in Granite Bay, Calif., on November 25, 1991. (Placer County Sheriff’s Office)
Authorities noted that he appeared to have disappeared, pointing to a surprising lack of documentation on his whereabouts that had not been updated since 2005.
The revelation led authorities to determine that Lawhead may have acquired a new identity and, working with local law enforcement agencies in the areas where he is believed to have lived, investigators are using facial recognition to find a match.
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Detectives then learned that Lawhead had been living in Bullhead City, Ariz., under the name of Vincent Reynolds.
Authorities found Cindy Wagner’s 11-month-old baby abandoned in a high chair after she disappeared from her home in Granite Bay, Calif., on Nov. 25. 1991. (Placer County Sheriff’s Office)
He was taken into custody with the help of the Bullhead City Police Department and booked into an Arizona jail, according to authorities. He is expected to be returned to Placer County to face charges.
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The investigation also led to the arrest of Lawhead’s 71-year-old sister, Terry Lawhead Steele, authorities said.
Cindy Wagner disappeared from her home in Granite Bay, Calif., on Nov. 25, 1991, leaving behind his shoes, coat, and car. (Placer County Sheriff’s Office)
Steele was arrested in South Carolina on Saturday on a trespassing charge.
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“Although Steele has spoken to law enforcement several times over the years, including our detectives in the past few weeks, he said he had not heard from his brother in more than 20 years, investigators discovered that James Lawhead had been living in his home,” authorities said. “The evidence also shows that the two have been in contact.”
Authorities are now investigating whether Lawhead is responsible for similar crimes in the area, according to police.
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It is not yet clear whether Lawhead has retained an attorney.
“This arrest is a powerful reminder that time does not remove responsibility, and it does not diminish our commitment,” said Placer County District Attorney Morgan Gire. “Cold cases are not forgotten cases – they are always urgent, they are always confidential, and they are always a promise we intend to keep.”
The Placer County Sheriff’s Office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
