The long-standing mystery surrounding the 1991 disappearance and murder of Cindy Wanner has reached a significant turning point. Authorities recently announced the arrest of 64-year-old James Lawhead Jr. in connection with the decades-old crime.
Lawhead was taken into custody on April 24, 2026, in Bullhead City, Arizona. Investigators located him living under the alias Vincent Reynolds, a name he had reportedly used since at least 2005.
The case dates back to November 25, 1991, when 35-year-old Cindy Wanner vanished from her residence in Granite Bay, California. Her disappearance was particularly harrowing, as she left behind her 11-month-old infant in a highchair.
Her vehicle and personal belongings remained at the scene, suggesting she was taken against her will. Three weeks later, search teams discovered her body in a remote area near Foresthill, located approximately 40 miles from her home.
Medical examiners determined that Wanner had been strangled to death. For over thirty years, the case remained one of the most haunting and notorious cold cases in Placer County history.
A breakthrough finally arrived through the persistent efforts of the Placer County Sheriff’s Office Cold Case Unit. Utilizing modern advancements in DNA analysis, investigators were able to link Lawhead to the crime scene.
At the time of the original incident, Lawhead was 30 years old and had recently been released from prison for prior sex offenses involving a child. His criminal history has now become a focal point for detectives reviewing his past activities.
In a related development, authorities also arrested Lawhead’s 71-year-old sister, Terry Lawhead Steele, in South Carolina. She faces charges as an accessory after evidence indicated she assisted her brother in evading detection.
Placer County Sheriff Wayne Woo emphasized that the department never abandoned the search for justice for the Wanner family. Lawhead is currently awaiting extradition to California to face formal charges.
Detectives are now expanding their investigation to determine if Lawhead may be linked to other unsolved crimes across the region. This arrest offers a measure of closure to a community that has waited over three decades for answers.
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After more than three decades of uncertainty, authorities have finally apprehended a suspect in the tragic 1991 kidnapping and murder of Cindy Wanner.
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