Covid19 has pushed back a lot of trials and court dates in several cases that I am following. I am happy to confirm that a jury has been sworn in to judge the evidence in the 1980 murder of Suzanne Arlene “Suzie” Bombardier. As soon as I have more details I will add them here or in the database.
The Case
On June 21, 1980, Suzie Bombardier (March 14, 1966 – June 22, 1980) went missing from the town of Antioch, California. On June 27, her nude body was found in the nearby San Joaquin river.
Suzie died from one stab wound to the heart. Police said in the Contra Costa Times (Walnut Creek, CA) from July 1, 1996 that they still had evidence pieces in her case.
In 2015, the Police Department sent biological samples from Suzanne’s body to the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office Forensic Laboratory to create a DNA profile. Lab technicians used the FBI’s Combined DNA Index System which tentatively linked to Bacom. The link was later confirmed after additional testing, police said.
The biological material linked to Bacom’s DNA had been in an evidence locker and was tested before, but needed the advances made in forensic sciences of recent years.
In December 2017, police announced that Mitchell Lynn Bacom, the original suspect, was charged in this case. He was arrested Friday at his Antioch home without incident, police said. Charges: murder, kidnapping, rape, and oral copulation. This is a capital punishment case so no bail was set. On Feb 8, 2018, Bacom plead not guilty.
All posts about this case can be found here.
Rest in peace, Suzanne Arlene Bombardier.