A woman whose remains were discovered in a shallow grave in Riverside County, California, more than four decades ago has been identified as Thelma Gaston, an 80-year-old multimillionaire real estate investor who disappeared in 1981.

The remains were found on June 28, 1981, near Sugar Loaf Mountain by people searching for firewood. Riverside County sheriff's investigators recovered the skeletal remains the following day near Highway 74. Due to extensive decomposition, authorities were initially unable to identify the victim despite exhaustive investigative efforts.

According to UPI archives, Gaston's estate was estimated to be worth roughly $20 million at the time of her disappearance. Her case sparked a high-profile Los Angeles murder investigation. Authorities alleged that business associates had received forged letters naming a person who would control Gaston's fortune. The accused pleaded not guilty to charges including murder, forgery, grand theft, and attempted grand theft.

The Riverside County Sheriff's Coroner's Bureau credited advances in investigative genetic genealogy and dental records for confirming the victim's identity as Thelma Gaston. This breakthrough came after the bureau received funding through the Missing and Unidentified Human Remains Grant, enabling investigators to apply modern forensic technology to long-unsolved cases.

DNA samples were sent to Othram, a forensic laboratory in The Woodlands, Texas, where scientists developed a comprehensive DNA profile using Forensic-Grade Genome Sequencing technology. This allowed investigators to positively identify Gaston in May 2026.

"This identification ensures that Ms. Gaston has her name—and her story—returned to her," the bureau stated.

Sources