Cold Case Slaying Of 13-Year-Old Bay Area Girl: PD Makes Arrest

CLOVERDALE, CA — The Cloverdale Police Department announced a major breakthrough Tuesday in the decades-old Sarah Geer case, bringing closure to a tragic event that has haunted the community for over 40 years.

The cold case in the May 24, 1982 slaying of 13-year-old Sarah Ann Geer has finally been resolved, police said.

The investigation was initially reopened in July 2021 by then-police Chief Jason Ferguson. When Ferguson retired in December 2023, his successor, police Chief Chris Parker, continued the pursuit of justice alongside private investigator Kevin Cline and Cloverdale Detective Katie Vanoni.

The team formed in 2021 also included Cloverdale police Sgt. Borruso, who initially took charge of the investigation and meticulously reviewed evidence and conducted interviews. As a result, a male DNA profile was identified from the evidence.

The Cloverdale Police Department said Tuesday that the dedicated team successfully identified and apprehended James Unick, 62, of Willows, California, using modern DNA genetic genealogy technology.

Unick was taken into custody Monday and was booked into Sonoma County jail on suspicion of murder, rape, kidnapping, and lewd and lascivious acts with a minor under 14 by force. He was being held without bail, jail records showed.

According to Chief Parker, the successful conclusion of this case was made possible through the collaborative efforts of the Cloverdale Police Department, the Glenn County Sheriff's Office, the FBI, SERI Labs, the Sonoma County District Attorney’s Office, the Department of Justice, and private investigator Kevin Cline.

"Today represents a bittersweet victory for justice," Parker said. "While nothing can undo the pain inflicted upon the Geer family and our community, we can finally offer some solace in knowing that the perpetrator will be held accountable. This arrest is a testament to the dedication of our law enforcement agencies and the unwavering resolve of Cloverdale's citizens."

"Sarah's next of kin has been notified and was very appreciative in giving them some closure," the chief said. "The department expresses deep appreciation to the Geer family for their enduring strength and cooperation throughout this prolonged process."

Cloverdale Mayor Todd Lands expressed support for Sarah's loved ones.

"Today, we stand united in solidarity with the Geer family as we witness the culmination of years of hard work and perseverance by our law enforcement officials," Lands said. "This arrest signifies not only a step towards closure but also a reiteration of our commitment to ensuring safety and justice for all in Cloverdale."

The Cloverdale Police Department thanked the community for its patience and support throughout the complexities of this decades-old case, which many feared would never be solved, Parker said.

"The Cloverdale Police Department has an unwavering commitment to provide service to the community we all share and care about," he said.

A Tall, Pretty Girl

Sarah was described as a tall and pretty girl.

She lived in a small yellow house with her mother on East Fourth Street, just two blocks from where her body was found.

Her father lived in Marin County.

Mother and daughter are now buried alongside one another in a Mendocino County cemetery.

Newspaper Archive: Town 'Devastated' By Murder Of Girl

According to a May 26, 1982, archive of an article in the Healdsburg Tribune, Enterprise and Scimitar:

Sarah Ann Geer's body was found at 10:50 Monday morning by some children. They told their mother, who telephoned the police. Geer's mother reportedly assumed she was spending the night with a friend.

She was found lying on the ground between the rear of a building and a fence near the town's main street. Cloverdale police said the girl was clad in panties and a white blouse and her body had been dragged 75 feet to the fence to hide it. A coroner deputy at the time said Geer had been killed "at the hands of another."

Just two days after her killing, Cloverdale Police Chief Rod Persons said the department had already talked to "hundreds" of people and went house to house checking for suspects. They also talked to people at the arcade Sarah was known to frequent.

Investigators had two persons who had not been eliminated.

"The murder left the town in shock," the newspaper article said.

"It was a 'devastating' thing to happen to a small town," the police chief said at the time.