Former Bar Patron Arrested In 1979 Murder Of Sunnyvale Lakewood Lounge Owner Keith Judd
/ CBS San Francisco
SUNNYVALE (CBS SF) — Former Sunnyvale resident Thomas Hinnard has been arrested for the 1979 cold case murder of Lakewood Lounge owner Keith Judd after the discovery of fingerprint evidence that had been misplaced for many years, police announced Friday.
"That's why we're all in this job -- to defend the defenseless and to solve these crimes for these families," says Capt. Craig Anderson with the Sunnyvale Public Safety Department.
Judd, a 45-year-old husband and father of two, arose early the morning of July 19, 1979 to travel to his bar to clean up and account for transactions from the night before.
"Someone came into the bar and violently attacked him and robbed him," says Capt. Anderson.
At around 5:30 a.m. another employee arrived and found Judd lying in a pool of blood. He was transported to a local hospital where he died of his injuries.
Several fingerprints were found in the area of the lounge where the homicide occurred along with footprints in the victim's blood. Later that week, detectives believed they had identified the suspect and placed him under arrest.
But under a careful review, the district attorney's office determined there was insufficient evidence to file murder charges and the suspect was released.
COLD CASE ARREST: A fresh look at a 1979 Cold Case leads to arrest of California man.
On the morning of July 19, 1979, Keith Judd, a 45-year-old husband and father of two, arose early to travel to his bar, the Lakewood Lounge, to clean up and account for transactions from the night before. Shortly after he arrived, an unknown assailant entered the bar, brutally attacked Keith and robbed him. At around 5:30 a.m. another employee arrived and found Keith lying in a pool of blood, struggling to survive. Within minutes Sunnyvale officers arrived at the lounge and transported Keith to a local hospital for medical treatment. Sadly, Keith didn't survive.
Sunnyvale officers and detectives immediately began a homicide investigation. Several fingerprints were found in the area of the lounge where the homicide occurred along with footprints in the victim's blood. Later that week, detectives believed they had identified the suspect and placed him under arrest. After a careful review, the district attorney's office determined there was insufficient evidence to file murder charges and the suspect was released. The case went cold.
In 2018 Detective Matt Hutchison began a detailed review of the case and was able to locate fingerprint evidence that had been misplaced for many years. Detective Hutchison sent the fingerprints to the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office fingerprint identification unit for examination. As a result of the examination, a suspect named Thomas Hinnard was identified as having left fingerprints inside the lounge in the specific area where the homicide occurred.
During his investigation, Detective Hutchison also determined Thomas Hinnard lived in Sunnyvale at the time of the homicide, worked at a business located in the same shopping center as the Lakewood Lounge and was a lounge patron.
Detective Hutchison spent many months locating and re-interviewing dozens of people including the suspect, Thomas Hinnard. During the interview, Hinnard lied several times and made numerous incriminating statements.
After a thorough review of the evidence with the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office it was determined there was sufficient probable cause to arrest Thomas Hinnard for the murder of Keith Judd. On Friday February 12, 2021 detectives from Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety and deputies from the Tuolumne County Sheriff's Office located Thomas Hinnard in Sonora where he was re-interviewed and ultimately arrested for the murder of Keith Judd. Thomas Hinnard is currently in custody at the Santa Clara County main jail.
We would like to thank the family of Keith Judd, the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office, the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office, the Tuolumne County Sheriff's Office and Liberty Polygraph. Without their assistance and support, this investigation would not have been successful.
Sometimes an arrest may take years or even decades, but our detectives are relentless and work hard behind the scenes to help bring justice to victims and their families. We are proud of the work that is constantly being done by our detectives and gratified that we can provide some answers to Keith's family.
If you have any additional information about this investigation please contact detective Matt Hutchison at 408-730-7100.
A photo of the suspect is available in the comments section of this post.
Media Contact: Captain Craig Anderson, 650-382-2603.
In 2018, Sunnyvale Detective Matt Hutchison began a detailed review of the case and was able to locate fingerprint evidence that had been misplaced for many years. Hutchison sent the fingerprints to the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office fingerprint identification unit for examination.
Judd's family including his son Brian who was 19 at the time of his father's death says they had largely given up hope of finding answers and justice for the murder.
"To have that vacuum in my life was challenging," says Judd.
As a result of the examination, Hinnard was identified as having left fingerprints inside the lounge in the specific area where the homicide occurred.
At the time of the murder, Hinnard lived in Sunnyvale and worked at a business located in the same shopping center as the Lakewood Lounge. He also was a patron of the bar.
Hutchison located Hinnard and interviewed him. Investigators determined that Hinnard lied several times and made numerous incriminating statements.
The Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office issued an arrest warrant and on Friday February 12, Hinnard was arrested in Sonora, where he has been living.
"My main regret is that my mother passed two years ago and did not get to know that this was getting looked at again and it had been resolved," says Judd.
If you have any additional information about this investigation please contact detective Matt Hutchison at 408-730-7100.
