Carol Beth Hilburn

Date:

November 14, 1970

Crime:

Abduction, Murder

Location:

Sacramento, CA
Rio Linda, CA

Age:

22

Occupation:

Cocktail Waitress

Suspects:

None

Agency:

Sacramento Police
916-808-0650

22-year-old Carol was a cocktail waitress from Santa Rosa, CA. She was visiting Sacramento with a friend that November weekend. She was last seen at a bar on Del Paso Blvd. called Lloyd Hickey's Forty Grand Club, a place where musicians who had performed around Sacramento would head after hours to jam late into the night.

The next day, her nude body was discovered six miles away in a field in Rio Linda. She had been severely beaten. Carol's case is eerily reminiscent of the Judith Ann Hakari murder case from March of the same year and the Nancy Bannallack murder case from just the month before...all in Sacramento, CA.

By way of the Donna Lass disappearance in South Lake Tahoe the month before, Carol's case has forever been linked to the Zodiac Killer murders. We aren't convinced, but there are many theorists and Zodiac followers who are. Whatever you believe, please help us solve this horrific murder.

Clues

If you see these items, or any other items or information, that you believe to be connected to this case; or if you have a source that better describes or disputes the information we have here, please fill out the ClueTip form.

Carol's Purse

Carol had a brown leather or suede purse with fringe (see sketch below).

Carol's Pants

Carol was wearing multi-colored bell bottom pants (see sketch below).

Carol's Jacket

Carol had a black jacket with yellow lettering that said "Santa Rosa" on her front right and "Carol" on her front left. On the back, was "The Capri Lounge" (see sketch below).

Carol's Boot

One of Carol's boots (see sketch below) was missing from the crime scene. According to the initial police report (Sacramento Sheriff), the missing boot was a right foot "dark brown walking boot".

Theories

We've compiled a group of theories that we've either read in the press clippings or have considered ourselves. Considering there are a grand total of ZERO publicly known suspects, these should be considered until each of these theories are proven false or evidence has been found to prove one is correct. If you have a theory or any information that could help solve this case, please fill out the ClueTip form.

Terry C. Carpenter

Carpenter was arrested and convicted for the 1971 death of Marilu McNeal. McNeal was bludgeoned to death – like Carol was. Marilu was beaten to death 2.3 miles from Lloyd Hickey's Forty Grand Club. There are ties between Carpenter and people who frequented the Forty Grand Club as well. Solve Crimes provided Sacramento Sheriff with Carpenter's name and how we connected him to Carol's death.

the zodiac killer

Carol's murder has been associated with the Zodiac Killer (by way of the Donna Lass disappearance two months prior), but there is zero evidence of this and we do not believe the Zodiac was involved. We have evidence that police did consider Arthur Leigh Allen (a Zodiac suspect) a suspect, but there was no evidence of his involvement, so no charges were ever filed. Allen died in 1992.

Phillip Arthur Thompson

Phillip Arthur Thompson became a possible suspect when in 2003 his DNA matched evidence in the murder of Betty Cloer (1971). Thompson was convicted of the Cloer murder in 2008 and is currently serving a life sentence. As of now, DNA from Thompson has not matched evidence in Carol's case. It is unclear what DNA evidence was collected at the location where Carol's body was discovered and if so, what condition the evidence is in.

Two Men

An inmate at the local jail gave a statement to police that he saw Carol get into a car with two men and another woman (possibly Carol's friend Deeanne Bertini with whom she rode to Sacramento with from Santa Rosa). Both suspects were eventually identified, but no charges were filed. Both men are now deceased.