David Allen Rundle

David Allen Rundle (born January 4, 1965) is an American serial killer and rapist who confessed to the murders two women and a teenage girl in Northern California between May and October 1986.[1] He was sentenced to life imprisonment for one of the murders and sentenced to death for the other two in 1989.

For the South African cricketer, see David Rundle.
David Allen Rundle
Mugshot
Born (1965-01-04) January 4, 1965
Nevada County, California, U.S.
Conviction(s)First degree murder with special circumstances (3 counts)
Criminal penaltyDeath
Details
Victims3
Span of crimes
May 10 – October 7, 1986
CountryUnited States
State(s)California
Date apprehended
November 20, 1986
Imprisoned atSan Quentin State Prison

Early life

David Allen Rundle was born in Nevada County on January 4, 1965, the son of chief warrant officer for the United States Navy David William Rundle.[2] Although born in California, his family moved to live in Idaho. According to his parents, he was a normal child who enjoyed fishing and hunting, which changed when he fell into a drug addiction at age 14.[2] In later years it came out that his mother sexually abused him in his youth.[3] His parents later moved to Georgia, where he attended high school but dropped out not long after. After a while they moved to Colfax, California, where the family stopped seeing Rundle.[4] In 1984, Rundle got married, but once his wife fell pregnant he abandoned her. Instead, his parents started taking care of her.[4]

Murders

Elizabeth Lactawen

In May 1986 Rundle, high on marijuana, was pacing around the Sacramento River near Front Street, an area known for a high population of vagrants. While there he chatted up one transient, 21-year-old Elizabeth Latorre Lactawen. According to Rundle, he was able to convince her to follow him to the bushes where the two proceeded to have sex.[5] Rundle then claimed he "freaked out" and out of instinct started strangling her until she died.[5] He left her dead body beneath the Pioneer Bridge in Sacramento, where it was found on May 10 by an unidentified person who called into the Secret Witness Program.[6] In the investigation a witness who saw the killer came forward to police, and due to Rundle, then 21, looking young for his age, the attacker was described as looking like a 17-year-old male who was about 5ft 10inch.[6] A reward of $2,500 was announced to anyone who could identify the killer.[6]

Carolyn Garcia

On September 7, having voyaged to Colfax, Rundle abducted 18-year-old Carolyn Marie Garcia from a bus stop as she waited for a bus to drive her to the city of Roseville.[5] He drove her to a remote area near Rollins Lake Road where he partially stripped her of her clothes, raped, beat and strangled her to death.[7] Her body remained missing until mid-November, though sheriff Donald J. Nunes had stated publicly that she had likely been killed, as her bloody clothing had been recovered just off of Interstate 80.[8]

LanciAnne Sorensen

Rundle killed his youngest and final victim on October 7, when he abducted 15-year-old LanciAnne Sorensen. He forced her to take her pants off, which he then used to bind her hands behind her back, and then raped and strangled her to death.[9] He left her body just of an Interstate 80 off ramp in Loomis. The body was found a few weeks later.[10]

Arrest

Rundle was identified by witnesses as the last person seen with Garcia. On September 11, Rundle narrowly avoided arrest after he rammed his vehicle into the back of a police car on Rollins Lake Road. There, police had been scouring the area searching for Garcia's body. Rundle wrecked his car but managed to flee the area.[11] Police were subsequently able to identify him and attempt to locate him. In response Rundle fled to Carson City, Nevada, where he was arrested on November 20 and returned to California.[12] Out of apparent guilt, Rundle confessed to the other two murders.[13] In an interview with detectives, Rundle said he knew he was a sick individual. He blamed his actions on mental illness and abuse he received as a child, which only got worse with drug and alcohol addiction.[14]

Trial and imprisonment

On April 16, 1987, Rundle was attacked in his sleep by his cellmate Melton Eugene Voight, who was awaiting trial for armed robbery. Rundle was hospitalized for 10 days, while Voight was moved to Folsom State Prison for his violent outburst.[15]

Rundle was sentenced to death in 1989 for the murders of Garcia and Sorensen. As the sentence was being handed down multiple jurors were reported crying.[1] He was also given a life sentence for the murder of Lactawen.[5] He is currently incarcerated at San Quentin State Prison.

See also

References
  1. Marjie Lambert (September 22, 1989). "Jurors weep as killer given death sentence". The Sacramento Bee. p. 20. Retrieved October 8, 2022.
  2. Bill Wilson (November 28, 1986). "Parents lost their son long before he was jailed in slayings". The Press-Tribune. p. 1. Retrieved October 8, 2022.
  3. Marjie Lambert (September 22, 1989). "Jurors weep as killer given death sentence". The Sacramento Bee. p. 3. Retrieved October 8, 2022.
  4. Bill Wilson (November 28, 1986). "Parents lost their son long before he was jailed in slayings". The Press-Tribune. p. 5. Retrieved October 8, 2022.
  5. "Life term given for third killing". The Sacramento Bee. December 21, 1989. Retrieved October 7, 2022.
  6. "Young woman's killer, robber who takes cash registers added to list". The Sacramento Bee. May 15, 1986. Retrieved October 7, 2022.
  7. Tom Dresslar (November 23, 1986). "Another body found, suspect confesses". Auburn Journal. p. 1. Retrieved October 8, 2022.
  8. "Sheriff Nunes: Missing teen probably slain". Auburn Journal. September 12, 1986. Retrieved October 7, 2022.
  9. "Suspect in Placer County rape-slayings held for trial". The Sacramento Bee. March 25, 1987. Retrieved October 26, 2022.
  10. John Trumbo (November 24, 1986). "Rundle accused of slaying Sorensen". Auburn Journal. p. 1. Retrieved October 8, 2022.
  11. John Trumbo (November 25, 1986). "Rundle faces arraignment, victim named". Auburn Journal. p. 1. Retrieved October 8, 2022.
  12. John Trumbo (November 21, 1986). "Suspect arrested in Garcia slaying". Auburn Journal. p. 1. Retrieved October 8, 2022.
  13. John Trumbo (November 25, 1986). "Rundle faces arraignment, victim named". Auburn Journal. p. 10. Retrieved October 8, 2022.
  14. Marjie Lambert (September 22, 1989). "Jurors weep as killer given death sentence". The Sacramento Bee. p. 22. Retrieved October 8, 2022.
  15. John Trumbo (April 30, 1987). "No charges filed in jail assault". Auburn Journal. p. 1. Retrieved October 8, 2022.
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