Justice for Three Jane Does: A Cold Case Breakthrough

Ventura County authorities have announced a major breakthrough in three cold cases from 1977, identifying the suspected killer as 73-year-old Warren Luther Alexander. Alexander is charged with first-degree murder for the deaths of three women: Kimberly Carol Fritz, Lorraine Ann Rodriguez, and Velvet Ann Sanchez, all sex workers found across Ventura County 45 years ago. Authorities believe there may be more victims.

The Suspect: Warren Luther Alexander

• Former long-haul truck driver who grew up in Southern California
• Accused of strangling the three victims, all sex workers, in 1977
• Extradited to California from North Carolina, where he faced separate cold-case murder charges
• Linked to the crimes by DNA evidence

The Victims:

• Fritz: 18 years old, died in Port Hueneme on May 29, 1977
• Sanchez: 31 years old, died in Oxnard on September 8, 1977
• Rodriguez: 21 years old, found dead in an unincorporated area of Oxnard Plains on December 27, 1977
• All three women frequented a shopping center in Oxnard and nearby hotels, where they engaged in commercial sex work

Investigation and DNA Breakthrough:

• In February 2023, Ventura County Sheriff’s Cold Case Unit and local police departments reopened the investigations.
• DNA evidence collected from each crime scene and victim played a crucial role.
• Advances in DNA technology and a match with Alexander's profile in a national database led to his arrest.

Possible Fourth Victim and Connection to Previous Cases:

• Investigators examine the 1975 strangulation death of Cassandra Lee Miller, found at the Surfside Motel in Port Hueneme.
• As early as 1978, authorities believed that all four deaths might be connected.
• Dr. Robert Kornblum, the coroner at the time, stated that the evidence in the Rodriguez case was slightly different but likely linked to the other murders.
• Law enforcement agencies are working with the FBI to investigate patterns and solve additional crimes.

Warren Luther Alexander's Background:

• Grew up in Oxnard and attended high school there until the sophomore year.
• Worked as a cab driver, electrician, and long-haul truck driver across the country.
• Lived in Diamondhead, Mississippi, before facing murder charges in Surry County, North Carolina, for a 1992 cold case involving strangulation.

Court Proceedings:

• The district attorney seeks life in prison without parole instead of the death penalty to expedite justice for aging witnesses.
• Alexander's arraignment is continued to August 21, and he is held without bail.