30 year anniversary of unsolved homicide - candlelight vigil to be held | Community

A candlelight vigil will be held on Thursday, Nov. 15 in rememberance of De Anna Lynn Johnson, whose murder 30 years ago remains unsolved. The vigil will begin at 7 p.m. at St. Mary's Catholic Church, 350 Stinson Avenue in Vacaville.

The summary below of Johnson's case was written by her friend Mary Borcher:

30 years ago, De Anna Lynn Johnson was brutally murdered on November 15, 1982.  De Anna was only 14 years old when she was tragically taken from her family, friends and community.  It has been 30 years and still no arrest and/or conviction.  The killer has never been brought to justice. The pain lingers. The frustration is heightened each day, each month and each year that her case remains unsolved. The loss definitely does not get any easier knowing that no matter what we do, De Anna will never return to us. De Anna's killer walks among us today in our communities. Where is the justice in that? 

De Anna was a student at Will C. Wood Junior High School in Vacaville, California, and was considered the pretty, popular and bubbly friend to everyone who knew her. De Anna was a normal 14 year old girl who was just figuring out her teen years. Her goal in life was to become a counselor for troubled teens. 

De Anna was given permission, along with an extended curfew of 9 pm, to visit a friend just 7 houses down from her home on Royal Oaks Drive in Vacaville, CA.  Later, her mom was informed that a party took place at the residence where she was visiting. The party drew 25-50 teens.  The parents of the party house were not at home.  As the evening wore thin and word spread about the party, rougher, tougher, older teens appeared and alcohol and drugs filtered in and out.  Tempers flared and fights broke out.  That was the last time De Anna was seen alive. 

De Anna was reported missing at 11:30 pm on November 15th, 1982 after her mother, father and brothers made many frantic phone calls and went door to door to ask if any of her friends and neighbors had seen her or knew her whereabouts.  The search was unsuccessful and the missing persons report was filed with the Vacaville Police Department. 

On November 16th, 1982 less than 24 hours after given permission to visit her friend, two Southern Pacific Railroad employees who were working in the area found De Anna's battered body in a desolate field on Elmira Road not far from the train tracks. The field where her body was found could be seen easily from her family's home. The coroner's office confirmed that De Anna's fully clothed body had been strangled beaten, and bludgeoned about the head and face.  It was reported to be the most brutal crime ever seen in Solano County, at the time. 

It has been stated over the years that there are people, party goers and their parents who know the truth of what took place that tragic evening. We ask you to please help bring the murderer to justice.  If you know anything, heard anything or seen anything, please speak up for De Anna as she surely cannot.