Henry County, IL – A nearly 60-year-old mystery has been solved after investigators confirmed that human remains discovered in Henry County, Illinois, in 1966 belong to a missing California teenager reported lost more than six decades ago.
According to the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office, the remains have been identified as those of Ronald Joseph Cole, a 19-year-old from Fillmore, California, who was reported missing in 1983. Family members told police Cole had last been seen in May 1965 at a residence on the 400 block of Foothill Drive and believed he vanished under suspicious circumstances involving his half-brother, David La Fever.
At the time, authorities found no physical evidence or crime scene, and La Fever was never charged. He later died in Anchorage, Alaska, in 2007.
In 2024, Henry County Sheriff’s Office began reviewing a cold case involving unidentified skeletal remains located near a creek southeast of Geneseo in 1966. The remains included a skull with a bullet hole, classifying the case as a homicide.
Partnering with DNA Doe Project and Astrea Forensics, investigators used advanced genetic analysis to identify possible relatives. By May 2025, Ventura County detectives joined the collaboration. On January 10, 2026, forensic results confirmed the remains as those of Ronald Cole.
Henry County investigators now hold jurisdiction in the ongoing homicide investigation. Both counties continue to review unsolved cases with the help of forensic technology and volunteer organizations.
Anyone with information can contact Ventura County Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS (8477).
This article was produced by a journalist and may include AI-assisted input. All content is reviewed for accuracy and fairness.
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