Patricia Jones was 32 years old when she was murdered. Her body was found in an alleyway in Monterey, California, more than four decades ago, and the person responsible for the murder has yet to be brought to justice.
On Jan. 11, 1974, Jones left her home in San Mateo and got on a city bus, heading to Monterey. When she arrived, she attempted to rent a vehicle at the airport around 9:50 a.m., but she was unsuccessful.
Her whereabouts after leaving the airport are unknown, according to the Monterey Police Department.
The following morning, at around 6:30 a.m. on Jan. 12, 1974, Jones was found dead.
Three boys delivering newspapers discovered her fully clothed body in the alleyway of Bruce Lane, near an establishment called Kirby Appliance Store, which is no longer in business.
The Times reported that Jones died after being shot five times in the back.
The information investigators have gathered from the case may have led them to the conjecture that Jones was killed sometime between 9:50 p.m. on Jan. 11, 1974, and 2:12 a.m. on Jan. 12, 1974.
Detectives could not determine if she was shot to death in the alley or if she was killed elsewhere, and afterward, the killer dumped her body in the alleyway.
They are also unsure of why she opted to travel to Monterey. Police officials disclosed that, at the time of her death, Jones occasionally worked as an escort.
In 1974, a news article asserted that Jones worked as a secretary at Stanford University’s School of Education in Stanford, California.
A police spokesperson said they do not have a person of interest in the case, as there were presumably no witnesses and the information surrounding Jones’ death is scant.
Anyone with information regarding the unsolved murder of Patricia Jones is encouraged to contact the Monterey Police Department at (831) 646-3914.