Registered Sex Offender Arrested In 1981 Cold Case Murder Of Pomona Boy
POMONA (CBSLA.com) — A 53-year-old man was in custody Saturday on suspicion of murdering a young boy in 1981.
According to the Pomona Police Department, the 6-year-old boy rode his bike on July 2, 1981, from his home in Anaheim Hills to go to a fireworks stand in Anaheim. Officers said the boy was last seen on his bike around 5:30 p.m. near the fireworks stand, which was located near Imperial and Santa Ana Canyon roads.
The victim's parents found his abandoned bike in an alley near the stand several hours later.
Authorities said two construction workers found the boy's body near the 30 block of Edgebrook Drive in Pomona on the following day.
According to the Los Angeles County Coroner's Office, the boy died of asphyxia from being strangled.
A preliminary investigation revealed DNA evidence that connected the victim to Kenneth Rasmuson, of Idaho, who is a registered sex offender.
On Thursday, homicide detectives traveled to Idaho to assist in the arrest of Rasmuson.
He is currently being held at the Bonner County Jail in Sandpoint, Idaho.
Rasmuson will be extradited to Pomona, where he will face murder charges in the boy's death.
CBS2/KCAL9 spoke with the boy's parents Saturday, as they acknowledged that while the arrest will never bring their son, they are comforted knowing Rasmuson can never hurt another child again.
"This guy robbed us of so much time in our lives. He took away our son and my other son's little brother. He never got to grow up and fall in love or get married and have children, or any of those things," Connie Vargo said, her husband adding that he had slept through the night for the first time in "a long time" after getting the news.
"I hope that he is convicted and put away for life," Connie said.
Anyone with information regarding this incident is encouraged to contact the Pomona Police Department at (909) 620-2085.