James Lawhead Jr. perhaps thought he was in the clear.
But technology – used by the Scottsdale Police Department – helped crack a “cold case” murder that took place 35 years ago and 800 miles from Scottsdale.
In 1991, Lawhead became a primary suspect in a murder case outside Sacramento.
According to the Placer County Sheriff’s Department, “Cindy Wanner was 35 years old when she vanished from a Granite Bay home on Nov. 25, 1991.
“Her 11-month-old baby was left crying in a highchair, while her shoes, coat, and car were all left behind. Her disappearance sparked a massive investigation and shook the community.”
The mother was found dead in a deserted area 40 miles from where she was kidnapped.
Lawhead, who was 30 at the time of the murder, had been released from prison earlier that year after serving 11 years for sex crimes involving a young child.
Detectives identified Lawhead as the suspect – beginning a 35-year manhunt.
According to the Placer County Sheriff’s Department, “He appeared to have vanished, with no documented record of him since 2005.”
Detectives working the “cold case” figured Lawhead had assumed a new identity as “Vincent Reynolds.”
The California cops picked up the phone – and dialed the Scottsdale Police Department.
“On April 21, one of our senior crime analysts was contacted by the Placer County case detective seeking information on James Lawhead Jr.,” Aaron Bolin of the SPD said.
Once the analyst had the information to begin a search and comparison, SPD submitted a request for Motor Vehicle Department/ADOT photos of Vincent Reynolds of Bullhead City in northwest Arizona.
“On April 23, our analyst received the requested MVD information and then used facial recognition software to corroborate the investigative lead that Vincent Reynolds was likely James Lawhead Jr.,” Bolin said.
“Further, our analyst used LPR (license plate reader) technology with Flock cameras to obtain a picture of one of Lawhead’s/Reynolds’ registered vehicles.
“The LPR hit was up from the Bullhead City area.”
The SPD analyst shared the information with the lead Placer County detective, who then coordinated with the Bullhead City Police Department to arrest Lawhead, Bolin said.
“Other than our senior crime analyst assisting, there are no direct ties to Scottsdale,” Bolin added.
Armed with the information, detectives found Lawhead/Reynolds in Bullhead City on April 24.
“With assistance from the Bullhead City Police Department, Lawhead was taken into custody and booked into jail in Arizona,” according to the Placer County Sheriff’s Department. “He will be extradited to Placer County to face charges.”
How did the suspect elude law enforcement for so long?
On April 25, Lawhead’s 71-year-old sister, Terry Lawhead Steele, was arrested in South Carolina on an accessory charge.
“Although Steele had spoken with law enforcement several times over the years, including with our detectives just weeks ago, and claimed she had not heard from her brother in more than 20 years, investigators discovered James Lawhead had been living in a home she owned,” according to the sheriff’s department.
“Evidence also showed the two had remained in communication.”
Placer County Sheriff Wayne Woo thanked the Scottsdale Police Department for its assistance in “one of the most notorious and heinous cold cases we have here in Placer County.
“We’ve never given up pursuing justice for Cindy and her family, we hope this is a small step in the healing process.”