July 16, 2026 – Placer County Sheriff's Office officials report that on Tuesday, a judge sentenced James Lawhead Jr. to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the 1991 kidnapping, rape, and murder of a woman in Granite Bay, a case that became one of Placer County's most notorious unsolved crimes. Thirty-five years later, the man responsible will spend the rest of his life behind bars.

This case was solved because of the persistence of the Placer County Sheriff's Office Cold Case Unit. Despite the decades that had passed, our investigators never stopped searching for answers.

Our work is far from over. There are still families waiting for answers, and our Cold Case Unit remains committed to pursuing every lead and seeking justice, no matter how much time has passed.

Related: Placer County Cold Case Defendant Pleads Guilty in 1991 Granite Bay Murder of Cindy Wanner

Placer County Sheriff Reports Arrest Made After 34 Years in Cold Case Murder of Cindy Wanner (Video)

We also want to recognize the Placer Cold Case Foundation, a nonprofit organization that helps fund the significant costs associated with advanced DNA testing and forensic analysis. Their support has been instrumental in helping move cold case investigations forward. To learn more about the Placer Cold Case Foundation or support its mission, visit placercoldcase.org.

Source: Placer County Sheriff's Office