Santa Cruz Co. homicide suspect arrested in 25-year-old cold case
Gloria Hassemer's 41-year-old body was found in Watsonville in June of 1995. Her suspected killer, John Laroche, was arrested on Dec. 3, 2020, the Santa Cruz Co. Sheriff's Office announced.
WATSONVILLE, Calif. - An arrest was made Thursday in a 25-year old homicide case out of Santa Cruz County, the sheriff’s office announced.
Authorities said forensic evidence helped link John Laroche, 63, to the 1995 killing of Gloria Hassemer. Due to the ongoing nature of the case, details on the type of forensic evidence, or how it was obtained, were not immediately available.
John Laroche, 63, was arrested in Turlock on Dec. 3, 2020 in connection with a 25-year-old cold case out of Santa Cruz County.
Hassemer’s body was found on June 10, 1995 along the Pajaro River levee near the Highway 1 overpass. She was last seen walking near Ocean Street in Santa Cruz. Authorities believe she may have hitched a ride from Santa Cruz to Watsonville where she was found.
“This murder shook our community back in 1995, and our detectives have been committed to making an arrest since,” said Sheriff Jim Hart. “We’ve seen the heartbreak it’s brought to Gloria’s loved ones and we are proud to be taking this step towards justice.”
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Laroche was arrested at his Turlock home without incident. Officials said he had connections to Santa Clara County and the Central Valley, based on his criminal history.
Hassemer’s family released a statement, which reads, in part:
On behalf of the family, we are incredibly thankful for the Santa Cruz Co. Sheriff’s Department. We greatly appreciate their hard work, dedication, and compassion they've shown to our family over the years. There have been many detectives and others who've worked tirelessly and fought hard to help our family receive justice. Over the past 25 years they've never given up; some have even volunteered their time.
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