OPELIKA, Ala. – The Riverside County District Attorney’s Office in California recently announced the identification of a female homicide victim as a missing Opelika woman.
Investigators with the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office in California utilized advanced genetic genealogy to identify relatives of an unidentified female homicide victim. Upon being notified of a potential match, the family contacted the Opelika Police Department to link the California discovery to an Alabama missing person report from 1980.
Disappearance of Victoria
“Vicky” Hargrove. Victoria Jean Hargrove was last seen on January 28, 1980. She was officially reported missing to the Opelika Police Department on February 4, 1980. At the time of her disappearance, Vicky—who had recently divorced—informed her family she was
leaving town and promised to call upon her arrival. That call never came.
Investigations at the time revealed that Vicky was possibly in a relationship with a
former co-worker, who was also reported missing shortly after her disappearance.
The Investigation & Vehicle Recovery
In August 1980, the co-worker returned to Lee County, Alabama. Simultaneously, U.S.
Marshals notified Vicky’s ex-husband that her red 1978 Datsun B210 had been recovered at a hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada. Witnesses in Las Vegas identified the co-worker as the driver of the vehicle; notably, no female companion was seen with him.
During later questioning, the co-worker initially denied leaving town with Vicky or
possessing her car. He later changed his statement, claiming Vicky gave him the vehicle
as repayment for a loan. He admitted to driving the car west but claimed he
abandoned it in Las Vegas after realizing he lacked the proper transfer-of-ownership paperwork.
Discovery and Identification
On February 18, 1980, hikers discovered the body of a woman in a ravine off Highway 74, near Palm Desert, California. The victim—described as a white female with brown hair—remained unidentified for over four decades.
In 2024, the Regional Cold Case Homicide Team (RCCHT) exhumed the remains for DNA
testing. The resulting genetic profile led investigators to family members, who confirmed their relative had been missing since early 1980.
Last Seen: January 28, 1980
Identified: March 20, 2026
THE DISAPPEARANCE
Victoria “Vicky” Hargrove was last seen in Opelika, AL, on January 28, 1980. She was possibly traveling with a male co-worker in her red 1978 Datsun B210.
While the co-worker returned to Alabama in August 1980, Vicky was never seen again by her
family.
THE RECOVERY & IDENTIFICATION
February 18, 1980: An unidentified female was discovered in a ravine off Highway 74 near Palm
Desert, CA.
December 2024: The Regional Cold Case Homicide Team (RCCHT) exhumed the remains for advanced
DNA testing.
January 2026: Through investigative genetic
genealogy, the relatives voluntarily provided DNA samples for comparison.
KEY INVESTIGATIVE FACTS
Vicky’s vehicle was located abandoned at a hotel in Las Vegas, NV, in August of 1980.
Witnesses identified the male co-worker as the sole
driver of the vehicle in Nevada; Vicky was not seen with him.
The co-worker gave conflicting statements regarding how he obtained the vehicle and his whereabouts in early 1980
Current Status
The Opelika Police Department has turned over all case files to the Riverside County Regional Cold Case Homicide Team. The investigation into the circumstances ofVictoria Hargrove’s death is now active and ongoing.
Any information regarding this case can be reported to the Supervising Investigator, Billy Hester, at (951)955-0070, or by emailing coldcaseunit@rivcoda.org.
