The death certificate of Donna Lass indicating the location of her skull reads "State Route 20, 3.5 miles north of Interstate 80 near Drum Canal Crossing, Emigrant Gap". However, this is somewhat in conflict with a report by Deputy Lowell Carlton on August 4th 1986, who recalled "Location: Interstate 80 to State Route 20 north, 3.5 miles to dirt road just prior to Drum Canal Crossing, approximately 500 feet above the intersection in a winter water drainage along Pacific Gas and Electric Company property boundary lines" (as shown on the Donna Lass Casefiles website).
The northern section of Interstate 80 and State Route 20, where Interstate 80 merges with State Route 20, is 3.5 miles east of the dirt road just prior to the Drum Canal crossing, called Bear Valley Road and shown here on Google street view. If we then measure 500 feet above (north) of the intersection of Drum Canal and State Route 20, we arrive at the location somewhere within the white ellipse shown on the map below The word "above" and "approximately" carries some leeway, so the skull of Donna Lass was probably found in this region, sandwiched between Bowman Lake Road and the Drum Canal.
The northern section of Interstate 80 and State Route 20, where Interstate 80 merges with State Route 20, is 3.5 miles east of the dirt road just prior to the Drum Canal crossing, called Bear Valley Road and shown here on Google street view. If we then measure 500 feet above (north) of the intersection of Drum Canal and State Route 20, we arrive at the location somewhere within the white ellipse shown on the map below The word "above" and "approximately" carries some leeway, so the skull of Donna Lass was probably found in this region, sandwiched between Bowman Lake Road and the Drum Canal.
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REPORT AVAILABLE ON THE DONNA LASS CASEFILES WEBSITE. CLICK IMAGE TO ACCESS.
DEPUTY LOWELL CARLTON We cannot know for certain whether the murderer of Donna Lass placed her body (or body parts) at this location subsequent to September 6th 1970, but had he done so, there are only two accessible routes by vehicle from the Drum Canal crossing. The first is through a locked gate alongside the canal in 2026. What access was available in 1970 is not currently known. The second is via Bowman Lake Road about 660 meters west of the Drum Canal Crossing. A body dragged or carried into the undergrowth from either of these routes could have resulted in body parts eventually finding their way into a drainage ditch over time. The primary purpose of a drainage ditch is to collect, channel, and redirect excess surface water—such as rainwater, irrigation runoff, or melting snow—away from areas where it is not wanted, such as roads, fields, and building foundations, to a natural watercourse or water storage area.
The report issued by Deputy Lowell Carlton appears to be the most logical. A killer wishing to dispose of a body 3.5 miles north of Interstate 80 (as stated in the death certificate) has innumerable opportunities to perform this task along the way, making this length of journey unnecessary. Additionally, 3.5 miles north of Interstate 80 near Drum Canal Crossing could have been described in many better ways, such as "near Fuller Lake" or "west of Fuller Lake". The distance of "500 feet above" mentioned by Deputy Lowell Carlton aligns more satisfactorily with "near Drum Canal Crossing". A quick departure off State Route 20 to the Bear Valley Campground, may have been a location familiar to the murderer of Donna Lass, who could easily have parked up in the darkness and disposed of her body. The Bear Valley Campground is part of the PG&E Drum-Spaulding Watershed/Emigrant Gap Area. I believe Travis Miller of the Lawrence Kane Wordpress site has reached the same conclusion to the one outlined above - which indicates the skull of Donna Lass was found by two PG&E workers about 650 feet southeast of Bear Valley Campground.
REVISED POSITION OF DONNA'S SKULL ALONGSIDE BEAR VALLEY ROAD
The report issued by Deputy Lowell Carlton appears to be the most logical. A killer wishing to dispose of a body 3.5 miles north of Interstate 80 (as stated in the death certificate) has innumerable opportunities to perform this task along the way, making this length of journey unnecessary. Additionally, 3.5 miles north of Interstate 80 near Drum Canal Crossing could have been described in many better ways, such as "near Fuller Lake" or "west of Fuller Lake". The distance of "500 feet above" mentioned by Deputy Lowell Carlton aligns more satisfactorily with "near Drum Canal Crossing". A quick departure off State Route 20 to the Bear Valley Campground, may have been a location familiar to the murderer of Donna Lass, who could easily have parked up in the darkness and disposed of her body. The Bear Valley Campground is part of the PG&E Drum-Spaulding Watershed/Emigrant Gap Area. I believe Travis Miller of the Lawrence Kane Wordpress site has reached the same conclusion to the one outlined above - which indicates the skull of Donna Lass was found by two PG&E workers about 650 feet southeast of Bear Valley Campground.
REVISED POSITION OF DONNA'S SKULL ALONGSIDE BEAR VALLEY ROAD
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