Latest news with #HowardGrimmett
Yahoo
21-02-2025
- Yahoo
Woman's remains ID'd 40 years after being found in Lake Forest; OC deputies seek new leads
The Brief Orange County deputies are searching for new leads in a 40-year-old murder case. Maritza Glean Grimmett's remains were found in what is now Lake Forest in 1983. Her remains were finally identified last year. Invesitagors have named her ex-husband and his new wife as persons of interest in the case. LAKE FOREST, Calif. - Investigators in Orange County announced on Thursday that they're searching for new leads in a 40-year-old murder investigation, after the victim was finally identified thanks, in part, to a Facebook group. Maritza Glean Grimmett was found dead in Lake Forest in 1983. Now, deputies say her ex-husband and his current wife are considered persons of interest in the case. Now that she's been identified, investigators are trying to put together the missing pieces. The backstory In April 1983, several children discovered a human skull while they were playing in a culvert in what is now Lake Forest, near Canada and Old Trabuco roads. After excavating the area, officials found the rest of the remains. Authorities tried for decades to identify the woman, sharing forensic renderings over the years with the media and online, but came up empty. SUGGESTED: California serial killer William Suff linked to 1986 cold case murder in South Pasadena Forty years later, in 2023, investigators were able to use the woman's DNA to find a distant relative. That relative suggested deputies post the renderings they had of the woman on a Facebook group dedicated to identifying women who had gone missing in the '70s and '80s. Just a month later, they had a lead. A woman reached out to investigators saying the person they were looking for might be her missing mother. From there, they were able to positively identify the victim as Maritza Glean Grimmett. Timeline According to investigators, Maritza Grimmett was a Panamanian native who married a U.S. Marine in the summer of 1978. She then gave birth to a daughter, before moving to the U.S. with her husband, Howard Grimmett, later that year. The family lived in Columbus, Ohio, before moving to Millington, Tennessee, deputies said. The next year, in 1979, the couple filed for divorce. After that, Howard Grimmett moved to California with his new wife, Isabel "Terry" Cruz-Grimmett, leaving Martiza Grimmett in Tennessee. That's when investigators said Maritza Grimmett told her family she was going to California. They never heard from her again. Her remains were found in April 1983. What's next On Thursday, officials announced that Martiza's ex-husband, Howard Grimmett, and his new wife, Isabel "Terry" Cruz-Grimmett, were considered persons of interest in their investigation. Now, investigators say they are working to piece together the rest of the timeline, specifically how and when Maritza got to California. Deputies said they're also hoping to talk with former military service members who may have seen Maritza at the former El Toro Marine Corps Air Station between late 1979 and April 1983. The former station is near where Maritza's remains were found. Investigators are asking anyone who could help with their investigation to contact the cold case team at 714-647-7055, or coldcase@ Anonymous tips can be submitted by calling 855-847-6227. The Source Information in this story comes from a Feb. 20, 2025 press release issued by the Orange County Sheriff's Department, and the OCSD's cold cases web page.
Yahoo
20-02-2025
- Yahoo
1983 cold case murder: Investigators seek new leads for justice
Investigators in Orange County are asking the public for help Thursday in their search for leads after uncovering new information in connection with a cold case murder from 1983. The murder victim, identified only as 'Jane Doe' for decades after her remains were discovered in a culvert in the area of Old Trabuco Road in what is now the city of Lake Forest in April of 1983, was positively identified as Maritza Glean Grimmett in March of last year. Now, investigators have also identified two persons of interest in the case including Grimmett's ex-husband Howard Grimmett, and his current wife Isabel 'Terry' Cruz-Grimmett. Authorities are hoping this information provided to the public will help solve Maritza Grimmett's murder. Maritza Grimmett, a Panamanian native, married U.S. Marine Howard Grimmett in the summer of 1978 and gave birth to a daughter, the Sheriff's Office stated in Thursday's news release. In late 1978, the family moved to the United States and lived in Columbus, Ohio then in Millington, Tenn., but began divorce proceedings in July of 1979. Howard Grimmett later married Isabel 'Terry' Cruz and subsequently moved to California. Maritza Grimmett later told her sister that she was going to go to California but her family never heard from her again. 'Investigators are actively investigating Maritza's homicide and are interested in any details that might help establish how and when Maritza arrived in California,' the Sheriff's Office stated. Authorities also mentioned that they were interested in speaking with former military service members who may have seen her at the former El Toro Marine Corps Air Station between late 1979 and April 1983. Anyone with information was asked to contact the cold case homicide team at 714-647-7055 or coldcase@ Anonymous tips may be submitted to OC Crime Stoppers at 855-847-6227 or at More details about Maritza Grimmett's story can be found on the OC Sheriff's Cold Case website at Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
CBS News
20-02-2025
- CBS News
Orange County investigators seek information in 1983 cold case of woman's murder
Orange County Sheriff's investigators are looking for any information that may help solve the 1983 homicide of a woman found dead in a Lake Forest culvert. Leads in the murder of Maritza Glean Grimmett have unfolded over the last few years, whereas for 40 years, she was only referred to as Jane Doe. Investigators have identified two people of interest in the case, Maritza's ex-husband Howard Grimmett, and his current wife, Isabel "Terry" Cruz-Grimmett. Forensic renderings, investigative genealogy, media outreach and social media posts finally led investigators in 2023 to a distant genetic relative. That relative suggested posting Maritza's forensic rendering to a Facebook group dedicated to identifying missing women from the 1970s and 1980s. A month later, a woman contacted investigators saying she believed the photographs could be her missing mother. In March 2024, investigators positively identified Maritza, a Panamanian native. She married US Marine Howard Grimmett in 1978 and gave birth to a daughter. Later that year, the family moved to the United States and lived in Ohio then in Tennessee. The couple began divorce proceedings in 1979, and Howard later married Isabel "Terry" Cruz. Howard moved to California and Maritza stayed in Tennessee. Maritza told her sister she was going to California and her family never heard from her again. Investigators are working to establish how and when Maritza arrived in California. They also are interested in speaking with former military service members who may have seen Maritza at the former El Toro Marine Corps Air Station between late 1979 and April 1983. Anyone with information is asked to email the cold case homicide team at (714) 647-7055 or coldcase@ Anonymous tips can be made to OC Crime Stoppers at (855) 847-6227 or at
