CAMBRIDGE, Ill. — Investigators have named a deceased Alaska man as the sole suspect in the 1965 killing of a California teenager, following the recent identification of skeletal remains found in rural Henry County in 1966, officials announced Friday.
The Henry County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that remains discovered on Oct. 27, 1966, belong to 19‑year‑old Ronald J. “Ronnie” Cole, who vanished in May 1965 while visiting his half‑brother, David Arthur LaFever, in Fillmore, Calif. Cole’s disappearance was originally investigated by the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office, where family members reported that LaFever had repeatedly confessed to killing him, though he never admitted it to law enforcement.
The case remained unsolved for decades until Detective Brian Haars reopened the unidentified‑remains investigation in 2024 and partnered with the DNA Doe Project. Through investigative genetic genealogy and advanced DNA analysis, the remains were positively identified on Jan. 10, 2026, directly linking them to Cole’s disappearance.
LaFever, formerly of Anchorage, Alaska, died in 2007. He had previously been named a primary suspect in other homicides across the country during the 1960s and 1970s, including the 1977 killing of his brother‑in‑law, John Skaggs, whose remains were found buried in the yard of LaFever’s former home in Galt, Calif.
Authorities said LaFever’s reported admissions, criminal history, proximity to Cole before his disappearance and new witness interviews support naming him as the sole suspect in Cole’s death. They emphasized that all suspects are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
The HCSO and State’s Attorney’s Office said they remain committed to pursuing justice for victims and families regardless of how much time has passed. While LaFever cannot be prosecuted, officials said the identification brings long‑awaited clarity to the case.
Anyone with information about Cole’s homicide is asked to contact the Henry County Sheriff’s Office at 309‑937‑3911.
