After an unexpected break in the case, detectives in Southern California have identified the person responsible for the 1986 murder of a 19-year-old woman as a serial killer already on death row, according to Los Angeles County sheriff’s officials.
Cathy Small was working as a prostitute in February 1986 when she was killed, sheriff’s Lt. Patty Thomas revealed at a news conference. Small had told her roommate she was meeting a man named Bill who promised her $50 to drive from Lake Elsinore to Los Angeles. That night, Small left their home dressed in a nightgown.
A few days later, Small's roommate saw a newspaper report about a woman who had been stabbed to death in South Pasadena. Concerned that it might be Small, she contacted the police and was able to identify her. Despite this, the investigation stalled and the case went cold.
Approximately 33 years later, in October 2019, a coroner investigator examining the death of a man living directly across the street from where Small was killed discovered several troubling items in the man’s home, according to Lt. Patty Thomas. Among the items were “numerous photos of women who appeared to have been assaulted and held against their will, possibly by the deceased,” as well as a newspaper article about Small’s death.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department obtained a search warrant and conducted DNA testing on some of the items found in the man’s home to determine if they were linked to Small. The tests came back negative. Although investigators initially considered the deceased man a suspect, they ultimately determined that he was not connected to Small’s case or to any other crimes.
Upon reviewing Small’s case file due to the newspaper article found in the man’s home, sheriff’s investigators discovered that crucial evidence, including a sexual assault kit, had never been DNA-tested. In August 2020, Small’s clothing was tested, and the results were entered into a federal database. This led detectives to identify William Suff as a suspect, according to Lt. Patty Thomas.
Suff, known as the Riverside Prostitute Killer or Lake Elsinore Killer, was already on death row at San Quentin State Prison for 12 murders committed in Riverside County.
In May 2022, Suff was transferred from San Quentin to Los Angeles, where he confessed to killing Small. “Detectives interviewed him for two days. Over seven hours, he detailed his confession and discussed the murder of Cathy Small,” Thomas said. “He also admitted to some of his previous murders in Riverside County.”
According to Thomas, Suff met Small at a computer repair shop where he worked. They arranged for him to pick her up later that night. During their time together in his vehicle, an argument erupted, and Suff became enraged when Small knocked his glasses off. Suff then retrieved a knife from the vehicle and stabbed Small multiple times in the chest. Afterward, he pushed her out of the car onto the street and drove away.
At the time of Small’s murder, Suff was on parole from Texas, where he had previously been imprisoned for the 1974 death of his 2-month-old daughter, Thomas added.
The Los Angeles County district attorney’s office has decided not to prosecute Suff for Small’s case due to his age—73 years old—his existing convictions, and his pending death sentence. The office explained in a release Tuesday, “We understand the pain and loss experienced by the victims’ families and our community. This decision does not diminish the severity of the crimes but recognizes that additional charges would not alter the current circumstances or bring further justice.”
The release continued, “Our focus remains on supporting the victims’ families. We thank LASD for providing some much-needed closure and assure that our bureau of victim services stands ready to offer support. We extend our deepest condolences to all those affected.”
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