Dossier
James Lawhead Jr.
Coverage of James Lawhead Jr. in the Nexus archive.
Cindy Wannerperson2Terry Lawhead Steeleperson1Placer County Sheriff’s Officeorganization1Bullhead City Police Departmentorganization1Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Officeorganization1DNA testingtopic1facial recognitiontopic1Granite Bayplace1Bullhead Cityplace1Placer County Sheriff’s Office Cold Case Unitorganization1DNA breakthroughtopic1
- DNA cracks 35-year cold case mystery as accused killer’s new name melts under cops’ heat
California authorities arrested James Lawhead Jr. in a 35-year-old cold case involving the 1991 murder of Cindy Wanner, who was found strangled in a remote area after disappearing with her 11-month-old child. Lawhead, who had prior sex crime convictions, was living under an alias in Arizona, while his sister Terry Lawhead Steele was also arrested for aiding him.
- Arrest made in 34-year-old California murder cold case following DNA 'breakthrough'
A 34-year-old murder cold case in California has led to the arrest of James Lawhead Jr. for the 1991 kidnapping and murder of Cindy Wanner. The breakthrough came from DNA analysis, with Lawhead apprehended in Arizona after the Placer County Sheriff’s Office Cold Case Unit's investigation.