Vicki Johnson’s Murder
Vicki Johnson was born in 1957. At the time of her murder, she was 34 years old and a mother of three. Sadly, she was the victim of a cold case murder, a case that went cold for more than three decades. Until now, the case has finally been solved after 32 years, bringing some type of peace and closure to many people.
The tragic incident that took Vicki Johnson’s life took place on January 3, 1991, in Seaside, a city formerly known as East Monterey. Johnson’s lifeless body was found near a playground in Sabado Park at Darwin Street and H Place in Seaside.
Police say her body was found near that park after she was, unfortunately, strangled to dead, suffocated, and set on fire. She was also sadly discovered with a significant amount of sand shove down her throat and her clothes torn. Johnson “suffered an extremely violent death”, a death that shocked the seaside community. As well as added to the community’s reputation of being unsafe and violent, due to the brutality of her murder.
Moreover, despite the fact that Johnson’s death was extremely brutal, as has previously been mentioned. This did not stop Johnson from putting up a fight against her killer until her last moments. In fact, it was Johnson’s drive to survive that would lead to her killer years later. Johnson is the reason why her case is solved today. Her outstanding willpower and bravery lead to her own murder being solved.
Unraveling the Mystery
How were the police able to identify the killer? Seaside police mentioned in a statement that Johnson’s case was “one of many.” When the field reached the cold case department, the Monterey County District Attorney’s Office decided to reopen her case.
When reviewing her field, police were able to pin a suspect in connection with her murder. The suspect was discovered after submitting additional DNA and the DNA found beneath Johnson’s fingernails for testing. Police wrote on a Facebook post that “the DNA found underneath Ms. Johnson’s nails was a result of Ms. Johnson fighting vigorously for her life.” Backing up the fact that Johnson fought for her life until her last moments.
After the submission of the DNA, Johnson’s case was finally able to be solved and close in 2021, 32 years after her murder.
Who Murdered Vicki Johnson?
The killer who took away Johnson’s life back in 1991, is Frank Lewis McClure. He was 42 years old at the time of the murder. The reason behind the attack is still unknown until this day. As well as if there was any type of connection between these two individuals.
Furthermore, police were able to connect McClure to the crime scene by analyzing the DNA evidence they had and that of McClure through the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) database. Investigators were able to do this after McClure was “Previously convicted of a felony for assault with a deadly weapon,” according to prosecutors. Leaving behind his DNA in the system.
However, no charges will ever be held against McClure as he passed away in 2021 at the age of 77, leaving many people unsatisfied with the outcome.
Unsettling Closure
To this day, many people can not understand and accept the lack of justice Johnson received for her murder. How Johnson and her family never stood a chance for justice, giving the area that they lived in. Which was known for being a violent and scary community. Also, how no one called the police to report a murder scene of this magnitude.
A longtime Seaside resident, Mark Vaughn said, “It’s just so unfortunate that something like this would happen.”
Another resident, Vaughn said, “I went to school with her, Fremont Junior High, and she was a nice person, and I knew the family. It just seemed like just a beautiful, beautiful family and I’m wondering what happened?”
Despite the outcome of the case, many people truly hope the family was able to find the closure they were longing for, for a long time.
Written By Nohemi Sanchez
Sources:
Miami Herald: Mom found dead at playground 32 years ago, CA cops say. Now DNA leads to suspect
CBS NEWS: California woman’s 1991 killer identified after DNA left under victim’s fingernails
KSBW ACTION NEWS 8: Cold case that rocked Seaside finally solved after 30 years
Featured Image by Dean Calma / IAEA Courtesy of IAEA Imagebank Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
Inset Images Courtesy of Agencia Brasilia Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
