During the late night hours of December 20th 1968, around 10:00 pm, three eyewitnesses, Robert Connelly, Frank Gasser and Bingo Wesner observed an unoccupied white Chevrolet Impala parked in the Lake Herman Road turnout. Sometime shortly after 9:30 pm, the same night, William Crow was parked in the turnout, from which he was chased by two Caucasian males in a vehicle he would later recall as a light-colored Chevrolet. Fast forward to 11:14 pm - the time attributed to James Owen in the police sketches as having passed the turnout, and the last person that night to have passed the turnout before the murder of David Faraday and Betty Lou Jensen. James Owen undoubtedly saw the killer's vehicle. In fact, he was the only eyewitness that fateful night to describe a second vehicle parked alongside the 1961 tan Rambler of David Faraday. He gave two accounts to police;
[1] 12.21.68 "He states he saw two cars parked near the entrance to the pumping station. He stated the car parked nearest was a 1955 or 1956 station wagon, boxy type, neutral in color. The other was parked to the right and abreast of the station wagon. The cars were about ten feet apart. He stated he could not give a description of the make or color of the other car".
[2] 12.24.68 "He definitely saw two cars, a station wagon and another vehicle, parked approximately three or four feet to the right of the station wagon. He did not see anyone in the cars or around them. He stated as he traveled approximately one quarter of a mile beyond, he thought he heard a shot".
[1] 12.21.68 "He states he saw two cars parked near the entrance to the pumping station. He stated the car parked nearest was a 1955 or 1956 station wagon, boxy type, neutral in color. The other was parked to the right and abreast of the station wagon. The cars were about ten feet apart. He stated he could not give a description of the make or color of the other car".
[2] 12.24.68 "He definitely saw two cars, a station wagon and another vehicle, parked approximately three or four feet to the right of the station wagon. He did not see anyone in the cars or around them. He stated as he traveled approximately one quarter of a mile beyond, he thought he heard a shot".
Detective Sergeant Les Lunblad. James Owen described in an interview in 2013 with Mike Morford the night he passed the turnout "it was not normal for me to see any cars there, let alone 2 side by side. You could really see that spot good because of the way the lights shine in there, and because it was around a bend". James Owen was correct, in that his journey to Benicia that night meant his headlights would have illuminated that portion of the turnout, however, he was unable to illuminate us in any great detail concerning the second vehicle despite giving us a fairly good description of the Rambler station wagon only 10 feet to its left. Often overlooked, because the eyewitness was not named, it is apparent he gave us a further statement revealing crucial details about the killer's car that night - details that may have implications on the role of the white Chevrolet Impala that night and possibly the number of assailants connected with the murders.
On page 6 of the police report it states the time window of Stella Borges (Medeiros) and James Owen in the top left corner, indicating the possible time of the attack at 11:14 pm to 11:20 pm. It names Stella Medeiros as the person who discovered the crime, the location of the crime, the likely firearm used (JC Higgins auto/pistol), but most importantly in the section labeled 'Vehicle used by suspect(s)' it states "Unknown. Witness observed dark car, lacking in chrome, not large and not compact." Unknown; referring to the make, yet the witness described the suspect vehicle as dark. The only eyewitness that saw two vehicles in the turnout that night was James Owen, so it couldn't be anybody else between 11:14 pm and 11:20 pm other than Stella Medeiros, and she clearly stated on page 20 of the police report "She saw only one car at the scene. It looked like a Rambler, grayish in color, it had a chrome rack on the top." Therefore, James Owen was the witness to the description of the assailant's vehicle on page 6.
On page 6 of the police report it states the time window of Stella Borges (Medeiros) and James Owen in the top left corner, indicating the possible time of the attack at 11:14 pm to 11:20 pm. It names Stella Medeiros as the person who discovered the crime, the location of the crime, the likely firearm used (JC Higgins auto/pistol), but most importantly in the section labeled 'Vehicle used by suspect(s)' it states "Unknown. Witness observed dark car, lacking in chrome, not large and not compact." Unknown; referring to the make, yet the witness described the suspect vehicle as dark. The only eyewitness that saw two vehicles in the turnout that night was James Owen, so it couldn't be anybody else between 11:14 pm and 11:20 pm other than Stella Medeiros, and she clearly stated on page 20 of the police report "She saw only one car at the scene. It looked like a Rambler, grayish in color, it had a chrome rack on the top." Therefore, James Owen was the witness to the description of the assailant's vehicle on page 6.
The David Faraday 1961 Rambler The wording is key. When his description of the tan Rambler "a 1955 or 1956 station wagon, boxy type, neutral in color" is placed alongside the suspect vehicle description, it's as though he is comparing them in relation to one another. Neutral in color/dark, station wagon (with chrome style luggage rack and rear)/lacking in chrome, and finally, boxy type/not large or compact. Anybody recalling an individual vehicle on any given night would be unlikely to say the vehicle was 'lacking in chrome,' but by comparing it to the Rambler the phrase makes perfect sense. As James Owen swept around the bend by the turnout his headlights would undoubtedly have highlighted any chrome/metal features on the Rambler (the luggage rack and rear bumper), so describing the second vehicle as 'lacking in chrome' points to the fact he saw more of the assailant's vehicle than we first thought - so much so - that despite being unable to identify "the make or color of the other car," he could tell us it was dark in color.
Detective Sgt Les Lunblad pointing to the blood from David Faraday, after the brutal double homicide on December 20th 1968. However, we have a problem. If the suspect vehicle in the turnout was dark in color, this seems to exonerate the white Chevrolet Impala from any involvement in the crime. Or does it? As James Owen was heading to work traveling towards Benicia, he stated on page 15 of the police report "that just before he approached the scene, a vehicle passed him going in the opposite direction towards Vallejo. He could give no description of the vehicle. This occurred near the Borges Ranch". The occupant(s) of this vehicle have never come forward despite extensive news coverage of the crime. Is it possible this vehicle and the Chevrolet Impala are one and the same, and somehow connected to the crime?
So, let us review the details of the night. A white Chevrolet Impala is sitting idle, free of occupants in the Lake Herman Road turnout in the minutes around 10:00 pm, observed by Robert Connelly, Frank Gasser and Bingo Wesner on a cold night in December, where the temperatures dipped to a low of 22 degrees Fahrenheit. William Crow was chased by a vehicle along Lake Herman Road, which he would later recall as a light-colored Chevrolet with possibly two Caucasian males. Both these eyewitness testimonies 75-80 minutes precedent to a double homicide. A vehicle, 'dark in color', observed by James Owen in the turnout moments before the murder of David Faraday and Betty Lou Jensen. A vehicle heading towards Vallejo and observed by James Owen by the Borges Ranch, shortly before he reached the turnout devoid of "anyone in the cars or around them". Who said Lake Herman Road was a quiet country road with little traffic. If we assume the 'dark car' contained the murderer(s), then what role, if any, is played by the white Chevrolet Impala - or was this vehicle immaterial to the eventual double murder of David Faraday and Betty Lou Jensen. On the other hand, if the Chevrolet Impala and 'dark car' are connected, then we have a whole different ball game.
So, let us review the details of the night. A white Chevrolet Impala is sitting idle, free of occupants in the Lake Herman Road turnout in the minutes around 10:00 pm, observed by Robert Connelly, Frank Gasser and Bingo Wesner on a cold night in December, where the temperatures dipped to a low of 22 degrees Fahrenheit. William Crow was chased by a vehicle along Lake Herman Road, which he would later recall as a light-colored Chevrolet with possibly two Caucasian males. Both these eyewitness testimonies 75-80 minutes precedent to a double homicide. A vehicle, 'dark in color', observed by James Owen in the turnout moments before the murder of David Faraday and Betty Lou Jensen. A vehicle heading towards Vallejo and observed by James Owen by the Borges Ranch, shortly before he reached the turnout devoid of "anyone in the cars or around them". Who said Lake Herman Road was a quiet country road with little traffic. If we assume the 'dark car' contained the murderer(s), then what role, if any, is played by the white Chevrolet Impala - or was this vehicle immaterial to the eventual double murder of David Faraday and Betty Lou Jensen. On the other hand, if the Chevrolet Impala and 'dark car' are connected, then we have a whole different ball game.
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