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12.20.68 and 12.21.68 - Lake Herman Road - Benicia CA - Murder of David Faraday and Betty Lou Jensen - Timeline of Events


Original photos courtesy of the Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum
12.20.68 (Friday)

  • Sometime in the afternoon, David Faraday tells his sister Debbie that he will be going out to Lake Herman Rd that night "because a bunch of kids were going out there that night".
  • Sometime between 5:00 and 6:00 p.m. - Betty Lou Jensen and David Faraday and Joe  ----- are at the home of a David -------, located at ------ Street. Neither David or Betty say anything to Joe about where they will be going that evening.
  • 7:10 p.m. - David Faraday drives his sister Debbie to a meeting of the Rainbow girls at the Pythian Castle on Sonoma Blvd. [5]
  • 7:20 p.m. - David Faraday returns to his residence. Before David leaves, his mother gives him a dollar and fifty five cents all in change (quarters and dimes). [5]
  • 7:30 p.m. - David Faraday leaves his residence. [5]
  • 8:00 p.m. - Betty Lou Jensen and David Faraday are at the Jensen home at 123 Ridgewood Ct. in Vallejo, CA. [4] 
  • 8:20 p.m. - Betty Lou Jensen and David Faraday leave 123 Ridgewood Ct. [4]
  • 8:30 p.m. - Betty Lou Jensen and David Faraday arrive at the home of a woman by the name of Sharon. [4]
  • 9:00 p.m. - Betty Lou Jensen and David Faraday leave Sharon's home. [4]
  • 10:15 p.m. (approximately) - David Faraday and Betty Lou Jensen are in his mothers 1960/61* four-door Rambler station wagon, parked at the gravel turnout along Lake Herman Road, as observed by Rolen ------- [1],[2],[4] (*Benicia Police Depart Offense Report listed it as a 1960 Rambler, while the Solano County Sheriff's Department Report listed it as a 1961 Rambler) 
  • 11:00 p.m. - Peggy and Homer Your drive past the gravel turnout, where the Faraday's Rambler is parked. Peggy sees "the boy" sitting up in the driver's seat and "the girl" resting her head on his shoulder. When the headlights of the Your's car cross over the Faraday car, "the boy" grabs the steering wheel. Peggie notices that later, when they turn around and flash their lights on the Faraday car once again, both "the boy" and "the girl" are in the same position. Peggie notices that the car is facing east towards the field at the left of the gate. As they turn into what was the Marshall Ranch, Peggy sees a red pick up truck with wooden side boards parked approximately 25 feet in and that there are two white male adults in the car, one 25 - 35 years old wearing a stocking type hat or cap on his head, a three cell flashlight and a hunting jacket. [3]
  • 11:15 pm (approximately) -Victim's bodies are discovered by Ms. Stella Madeiros (formerly Borges) as she drives past the scene. She then drives towards Benicia at a high rate of speed, flagging down a patrol car and reporting what she has seen. 
  • 11:20 p.m. - James Owen, employee at Humble Oil, drives by the location where the Rambler is parked as he drives towards Benicia. He notices two cars parked near the entrance to the pumping station -  one is a 1955 or 56, boxy type, neutral colored station wagon. He later states that he cannot give a description of the second car, as he does not recollect any pertinent details about it.
  • 11:25 p.m. - Benicia Police Captain Daniel Pitta and Officer William Warner are flagged down while on routine patrol by Ms. Stella Borges at the Enco Station, located on East 2nd Street, in Benicia, north of Interstate 680. Ms. Borges advises them there are two bodies lying alongside the road on Lake Herman Road, just east of the Lake Herman Cottage. [1]
  • 11:28 p.m. - Benicia Police Department unit with Captain Pitta and Officer William Warner arrives at Gate #10, leading south from Lake Herman Road to the Benicia Water Pumping Station. [1]
  • Upon exiting the patrol vehicle the Benicia officers "observed a white female lying face down in a pool of blood, located mainly on the North (left) side of her face."  It was observed that "Victim #1 was located approximately 25 feet to the rear and west of the above vehicle with her head to the east and nearest the above vehicle.....Victim #1 had no signs of breath or pulse...." [1]
  • Benicia officers also observe "a white male (Victim #2) lying to the southside of a 1960 Rambler 4 door station wagon. Victim #2 was lying face up with a large amount of blood at the back of his skull. Officer Warner detected breathing of"Victim #2"  and Captain Pitta was advised to request an ambulance and doctor to come to the scene Code 3. Victim #2 was lying with his face to the right rear wheel and his head away from the above vehicle." [1]
  • (Exact Time Unknown) - Solano County Coroner Dan Horan is requested by Captain Pitta for Victim #1. [1]
  • Advised the  "Sheriff's Office in Vallejo, California to dispatch a Sheriff's Unit and an Investigator." [1]
  • Upon arrival of Dr. Byron Sanford and County Coroner Horan, Victim #1 is pronounced dead. [1]
  • (Exact Time Unknown) - Victim #1's purse is found by Captain Pitta, tentatively identifying the Victim #1 as (illegible) Jensen of 532 Jennings St. Vallejo CA. [1]
  • (Exact Time Unknown) - A chalk outline of Victim 2 was made by Officer Warner.
  • (Exact Time Unknown) -  The A-1 Ambulance arrives at the crime scene and takes Victim 2 to Vallejo General Hospital ("Code 3"). [1]
  • (Exact time unknown) - A check of the area is made in an attempt to find weapons. None are found. [1]
  • 11:30 p.m. - Crime Report (case # V-25564) is filed with the Solano County Sheriff's Office in Vallejo
  • 11:30 p.m. - Detective Sergeant Leslie Lundblad is notified of possible slaying on Lake Herman Road. 
  • (Exact Time Unknown) - Lt. Little photographs the crime scene and charts and measurements are recorded. .22 caliber shell casings are recovered and their recovery positions are recorded on charts. A search is conducted for a weapon. None is found, ruling out a murder-suicide. The ground is frozen solid as the temperature is a reported 22 degrees F. There are no visible fresh tire tracks leaving the crime scene.
  • 11:52 p.m. - This specific time is listed on reports filed by Detective Sergeant Leslie Lundblad, Butterbach and Waterman and Deputy Vehrs, each covering different portions of the initial investigation. I believe this time is a specific reference time for when the criminal investigation by police officially began. However, this may not be correct.
12.21.68 (Saturday)
  • 12:05 a.m. - Detective Sergeant Leslie Lundblad arrives on the scene of the murders and is informed by Coroner Dan Horan and Captain Pitta that David Faraday (Victim #2) is en route to Vallejo General via ambulance and that Betty Lou Jensen (Victim #1) is deceased and awaiting transfer to Colonial Chapels. Detective Sergeant Leslie Lundblad requests that RO's go to Vallejo Hospital to try and get a statement from David Faraday. 
(Exact Time Unknown) - "____________ were taken by Captain Pitta and Officer Wearner and recorded by sergeant Lundblad, Investigator for Solano County Sheriffs Office." [1]
  • 12:05 a.m. - Dr. Siebert of Vallejo General Hospital pronounces David Faraday dead.
  • 12:23 a.m. - 987 Vallejo General Hospital. Butterbach and Waterman speak with nurse, Mrs. Barbara Lowe and request permission to see David. She reports that David was DOA  and pronounced as dead at 12:05 by Dr. Siebert.
  • 1:04 a.m. - (Going to or already arrived at) Vallejo General Hospital, Detective Sergeant Lundblad learns that David Faraday is Dead on Arrival.
  • 1:38 a.m. - (Going to or already arrived at) Colonial Chapels Detective Sergeant Lundblad learns from Coroner Horan that Betty Lou Jensen has five bullet holes on the right side of her back, with three emerging from the front of her body, in a remarkably close pattern. Lundblad notes that Faraday has one bullet hole through his left ear and into the back of his head. The ear has a dark area around the hole that appears to be a powder burn, indicating the shot was fired at close range. 
  • Detailed listing of clothing worn by Betty Lou Jensen and David Faraday, with description of blood stains and bullets holes, is made.
  • Police report (Case Number: V25564) on this incident is filed by the Solano County Sheriff's Department by Captain Pitta of the Benicia Police Department. This report indicates that it was received by phone at the Solano County Sheriff's Department by Sergeant Cunningham. The Reporting Officers on scene are Buterbach & Waterman
  • Report (Case Number: V25564) is filed by Detective Sergeant Leslie Lundblad for the Solano County Sheriff's Office, received by Sergeant Cunningham, detailing events of the investigation.
  • 4:57 a.m. - Vincent Jensen contacts Deputy Vehrs to report that "on receiving information on daughter's death, they had called home from Mare Island, their daughter Melodie.... She told her father her younger sister, who was shot, had confided in her the evening before 12.20.68 that a Richard ______ had threatened her." Deputy Vehrs advised him that Sergeant Lundblad would contact him in the morning.

12.22.68

  • Funeral services for David were held in the First Presbyterian Church.
  • A Christian Science service is held for Betty Lou at Colonial Chapels.

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