Cambridge, IL – A nearly 60-year-old homicide mystery in Henry County has been officially solved following a breakthrough in DNA technology, authorities announced this week.
According to the Henry County Sheriff’s Office, skeletal remains discovered in rural Henry County in 1966 have been positively identified as Ronald J. Cole, a 19-year-old who went missing in May 1965. Investigators have named David Arthur LaFever, now deceased, as the sole suspect in Cole’s murder.
Cole, known to family as “Ronnie,” was last known to be visiting his half-brother, LaFever, in Fillmore, California, at the time of his disappearance. The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office initially investigated the missing person case. Family members later reported that LaFever allegedly confessed on multiple occasions to killing Cole, though no formal admission was ever made to law enforcement.
On October 27, 1966, skeletal remains were discovered in rural Henry County, Illinois, and the death was classified as a homicide. However, the victim remained unidentified for decades. In 2024, Henry County Detective Haars reopened the case, partnering with the DNA Doe Project to conduct investigative genetic genealogy and advanced DNA analysis.
Authorities confirmed on January 10, 2026, that the remains were those of Ronald J. Cole, directly linking the Illinois homicide to the 1965 California disappearance.
LaFever, who later lived in Anchorage, Alaska, died on August 12, 2007. According to investigators, he was also named a suspect in other homicide cases during the 1960s and 1970s, including the 1977 murder of his brother-in-law in California.
While LaFever can no longer face prosecution, officials say the identification brings long-awaited answers to Cole’s family. Anyone with additional information related to the case is urged to contact the Henry County Sheriff’s Office at 309-937-3911.
This article was produced by a journalist and may include AI-assisted input. All content is reviewed for accuracy and fairness.
Follow us on Instagram & Facebook for more relevant news stories and SUPPORT LOCAL INDEPENDENT NEWS! Have a tip? Message us!
