Authorities in southern California announced this week that, after more than 40 years, they had identified the remains of Thelma Gaston, a Los Angeles millionaire who disappeared in June 1981 at age 80. Investigators used genetic genealogy and dental records to confirm that the remains found in a rugged area near Sugarloaf Mountain belonged to Gaston, according to a statement from the Riverside county sheriff.

Gaston had amassed a substantial fortune by buying and selling repossessed properties, following the deaths of her husband and son in the 1950s. She disappeared suddenly, leaving a note on her door saying she was going to look for her cat, but never returned.

The Los Angeles county district attorney’s office prosecuted Gaston's former companion, Lawrence Remsen, for her murder. Prosecutors alleged he killed her with premeditation to gain access to her $20 million estate and disposed of her body, as reported in a 1982 article from the Daily Breeze.

Severely decomposed remains were discovered in late November 1981 by someone gathering firewood in the desert. However, it was only in May 2026, aided by new funding from a Missing and Unidentified Human Remains grant, that investigators were able to determine the remains belonged to Gaston.

“The Riverside Sheriff’s Coroner’s Bureau extends its sincere appreciation to everyone whose dedication, expertise, and perseverance made this identification possible,” the agency said in a statement. “Together, these efforts have ensured that Ms Gaston has her name – and her story – returned to her.”

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