Thirty-five years ago, a young mother vanished from her California home, leaving behind an eleven-month-old baby in a highchair and a life abruptly interrupted. Cindy Wanner, 35, disappeared on November 25, 1991, from Granite Bay, her car, coat, and shoes all remaining at the scene – a chilling testament to the suddenness of her abduction.
The search for Cindy ended tragically three weeks later when her body was discovered in a remote area near Foreshill, forty miles from her home. Investigators determined she had been strangled, launching a decades-long pursuit of her killer that would eventually span state lines and rely on breakthroughs in forensic technology.
The case remained cold for years, a haunting mystery for Cindy’s family and a constant challenge for the Placer County Sheriff’s Office. Detectives relentlessly pursued leads, refusing to let the case fade into the annals of unsolved crimes, driven by a commitment to justice for Cindy and her child.
A crucial piece of evidence, submitted for DNA testing to the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office, finally provided the breakthrough investigators desperately needed. The results pointed to James Lawhead Jr., now 64, as a prime suspect in Cindy’s kidnapping and murder.
Lawhead’s past immediately raised red flags. He had been released from prison in 1991, after serving eleven years for sex crimes involving a child. This history fueled the investigation, suggesting a pattern of predatory behavior and a potential link to Cindy’s disappearance.
Investigators discovered Lawhead had likely assumed a new identity, a tactic employed to evade detection. Working with law enforcement agencies across multiple states, they utilized facial recognition technology to track his movements and ultimately pinpoint his location.
The trail led to Bullhead City, Arizona, where Lawhead was living under the alias Vincent Reynolds. With the assistance of the Bullhead City Police Department, he was taken into custody and booked into an Arizona jail, awaiting extradition to Placer County to face charges.
The investigation didn’t stop with Lawhead. Detectives uncovered a disturbing connection to his sister, Terry Lawhead Steele, 71. Despite claiming to have had no contact with her brother for over two decades, evidence revealed he had been residing in a home she owned.
Steele was arrested in South Carolina on an accessory charge, accused of knowingly aiding and abetting her brother. Investigators discovered ongoing communication between the siblings, suggesting a deliberate effort to conceal Lawhead’s whereabouts.
Authorities are now exploring the possibility that Lawhead may be responsible for other similar crimes in the region. The arrest serves as a stark reminder that even after decades, justice can prevail, and accountability remains paramount.
Placer County District Attorney Morgan Gire emphasized the unwavering dedication to cold cases, stating they are “not forgotten cases – they remain urgent, they remain personal, and they remain a promise we intend to keep.” The arrest offers a measure of closure to Cindy Wanner’s family after years of uncertainty and grief.
