Riverside police reopen Cheri Jo Bates murder inquiry after 60 years

The search for the person who killed Cheri Jo Bates has continued for six decades.

The 18-year-old student was discovered dead in an alleyway near Fairfax Avenue and Terracina Drive on the campus of Riverside City College.

She had gone to the library on the afternoon of Oct. 30, 1966, to study. Her father, who had not heard from her by nightfall, contacted police shortly before 6 a.m. on Halloween.

A pedestrian found the body less than an hour after that phone call. Detectives quickly confirmed the remains belonged to Bates.

The Riverside Police Department has not specified the cause of death or whether a sexual assault was attempted.

Detective Steve Espinosa stated that investigators have identified a primary person of interest based on available evidence.

He noted that while the individual has remained a focus of the investigation, authorities have not gathered enough proof for an arrest.

Espinosa said public information could still help move the case forward.

"Information from the public may help bring answers to Cheri Jo's family and move this investigation forward," Espinosa said.

A $50,000 reward for information leading to a conviction was announced on Aug. 4, 2021. The offer was valid until Jan. 31, 2022.

Ken Welty, a childhood friend of Bates, has helped establish a separate $100,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction.

Welty said he still thinks about her and believes someone needs to keep the story alive. "It's one of those things that haunts you," he told The Press-Enterprise.