Wilbur Lee Jennings

Case record

Wilbur Lee Jennings was a serial killer who was convicted of killing four women and was on death row. He later faced additional murder charges with special circumstances.

Timeline

• 1983 — Wilbur Jennings left evidence at the crime scene involving Clarice Reinke, including semen collected during an autopsy.
• 1984 — Between August 1983 and December 1984, the bodies of four women were found in rural locations in Fresno County.
• 1986 — Jennings was convicted and sentenced to death; he was also condemned with an additional sentence of life + 64 years on lesser charges.
• January — Jennings was moved from San Quentin prison to a Sacramento jail to face pending charges.
• July 1981 — Jennings was accused of killing a 17-year-old girl and leaving her on a roadside.
• June 1983 — Jennings was accused of raping and killing a 76-year-old widow in her Easton-area home.
• October 26, 2005 — Authorities linked two cold-case homicides from the 1980s to Jennings.
• Tuesday — Murder charges alleging special circumstances were filed against Alvin Johnson.
• Thursday, May 29, 2008 — Family members escorted by District Attorney Elizabeth Egan wiped away tears as investigators said the case involving Clarice Reinke was solved; authorities said DNA helped link suspects already serving time.

The offence

Between August 1983 and December 1984, the bodies of four women were found in rural locations in Fresno County. The victims died from drowning or from blows to the head. Detectives nicknamed Jennings the ditch-bank killer because the murders for which he was convicted involved victims found in water-filled ditches, canals, or irrigation pipes.

The victims were:

• Karen Robinson, 21, found in an irrigation pond near Easton on Aug. 23, 1983.
• Jacqueline Frazier, 26, found in a Caruthers canal on July 24, 1984.
• Linda Johnson, 28, found in a San Joaquin canal on Sept. 13, 1984.
• Olga Cannon, 23, found Dec. 18, 1984, in an irrigation ditch near Easton.

Clarice Reinke was 76 years old when she was attacked in her rural home in 1983. A Fresno County sheriff’s deputy was called to Reinke’s house on East American Avenue on June 23, 1983. Reinke was found lying on her bed with her head hanging over the edge of the bed. She had been raped, sodomized and strangled, according to court documents. A pathologist found semen during the autopsy.

Debra Chandler, 17-year-old, was last seen at her family’s house on the Fourth of July. She was spotted near a water-filled roadside ditch about 15 miles from her home the next day. She had been beaten, and DNA was collected from her. The DNA matched Jennings.

Jennings was described as a “slayer of female prostitutes” in the motive and modus operandi information: bodies were dumped in canals.

Investigation

Investigators described DNA evidence as the factor that linked the suspects to the Clarice Reinke case. Evidence collected at the home near Easton where Clarice Reinke was killed matched that of 67-year-old Alvin Johnson and convicted serial killer 68-year-old Wilbur Jennings.

The sheriff said DNA helped investigators track down the suspects who were already serving time for the same brutal crimes.

Marty Rivera worked part time in the Sheriff’s Department’s homicide cold-case unit. In January, he started focusing on unsolved murders of women because killers often left behind DNA evidence from sexual assaults. In February, the sheriff’s department sent evidence from the Reinke case to a lab for DNA analysis. Two months later, results showed semen from two men—Jennings and Alvin Johnson—matched to the case.

Detectives nicknamed Jennings the ditch-bank killer. The narrative also described his method as involving dumping bodies in canals or irrigation pipes.

Joe Rascon, described as the Fresno County sheriff’s sergeant largely responsible for catching Jennings, said there were likely more murders. Rascon said: “I’ve always thought that there was other murders that he was responsible for,” and “It was an impulse for him. He kept coming back.”

People involved

Defendant

• Wilbur Lee Jennings — 68-year-old; convicted serial killer; on death row; described as a laborer from Selma. Jennings flatly denied involvement in the homicides alleged for later prosecution and claimed he had never killed anyone.

Other suspect

• Alvin Johnson — 67-year-old; serving time in a Utah prison for rape and murder; DNA from semen matched the Reinke case. Murder charges alleging special circumstances were filed against Johnson.

Victims

• Clarice Reinke, 76 — raped, sodomized and strangled in 1983; a pathologist found semen during the autopsy; her body was found at her rural home in 1983.
• Karen Robinson, 21 — found in an irrigation pond near Easton on Aug. 23, 1983.
• Jacqueline Frazier, 26 — found in a Caruthers canal on July 24, 1984.
• Linda Johnson, 28 — found in a San Joaquin canal on Sept. 13, 1984.
• Olga Cannon, 23 — found Dec.
• Debra Chandler, 17 — last seen at her family’s house on the Fourth of July; spotted near a water-filled roadside ditch the next day; beaten; DNA collected from her matched Jennings.

Officials and investigators

• Elizabeth Egan, Fresno County District Attorney — addressed surviving family members and discussed the waiting for resolution.
• Margaret Mims, Fresno County Sheriff — commented on Clarice’s condition after years and said her DNA “speaks.”
• Joe Rascon, Fresno County sheriff’s sergeant; also described as a junior detective in the robbery-homicide unit when prostitutes started disappearing.
• Marty Rivera, homicide cold-case unit — described the DNA analysis process.

Arrest and incarceration / custody

Jennings was moved in January from San Quentin prison to a Sacramento jail, where he faced charges that he killed a 17-year-old girl in July 1981 and left her on a roadside.

The narrative also stated that Jennings was expected to be extradited back to California for arraignment.

Jennings was expected to be moved to the Fresno County Jail after the 17-year-old girl case was resolved to answer pending charges that he raped and killed a 76-year-old widow in June 1983 in her Easton-area home.

Trial, sentencing, and disposition

Jennings was found guilty in 1986 of killing four women. He was already on death row for killing four other people described as victims in Fresno County.

His sentencing is stated as: “Sentenced to death in 1986,” and the disposition also stated that he was “Condemned with additional sentence of life + 64 years on lesser charges, 1986.”

The narrative indicated that authorities planned to prosecute Jennings for decades-old crimes after linking them via DNA evidence, while noting he likely would never be freed from prison.

Appeals

No appeal details were included.

Outcome

Investigators said the Clarice Reinke case was solved using DNA evidence matching Jennings and Alvin Johnson. DNA results supported linking the case to Jennings and Johnson.

The narrative also stated that authorities planned to prosecute Jennings for other decade-old crimes once existing cases were resolved.

Jennings said he would plead not guilty to the homicide involving Debra Chandler. He said he was scheduled for a court hearing on Nov. 18, and no trial date had been set.

Aftermath / statements

Family members escorted by District Attorney Elizabeth Egan wiped away tears Thursday morning.

Margaret Mims, Fresno County Sheriff, said: “Clarice has been gone for 25 years. She no longer has her physical voice. But her DNA speaks for her.”

Elizabeth Egan, Fresno County District Atty, said: “There was nothing cold about this case for the surviving family members they've been waiting everyday and every year for today.”

Jennings said he denied involvement in both homicides. In response to the mention of Alvin Johnson, Jennings said: “Who is that?” and also: “I never met him. I don’t know no Alvin Johnson.”

Jennings described the case and his view of the DNA evidence in an August interview with The Bee at the Sacramento jail. He said: “What I'm here on is false charges,” “I've never killed anybody.”

Jennings also claimed DNA evidence was planted. He said: “They're taking peoples' blood and putting it wherever they want,” “This DNA stuff — I don't believe in that.”

Jennings said regarding execution and cancer: “I really don't worry about that,” “What's the use? I got cancer. I'm not worried about them executing me. You got more people up on death row dying of old age or natural causes than anything else.”

The narrative described that those who rejected Jennings’ advances often ended up dead, and it described his interactions with prostitutes, including that he asked for affection and told them: “I want you to be my girlfriend. I want you to love me,” as recounted by Rascon.

Rascon said Jennings “came back” repeatedly and said: “I've always thought that there was other murders that he was responsible for,” “It was an impulse for him. He kept coming back.”

Rascon also said: “He would start crying and tell them, 'I want you to be my girlfriend. I want you to love me.'”

The narrative also included statements attributed to Jennings about Joe Rascon and other claims: “I don't even want to hear the lies that these suckers are coming up with,” “That's a bunch of crap.” “I wish I could get my hands on him.”