1981 Jane Doe Homicide Victim Found in Fillmore Has Been Identified

Nature of Incident: Jane Doe Homicide Victim Identified
Report Number:81-1698
Location:3000 Block of Guiberson Road, Fillmore
Date & Time:January 27, 1981
Unit(s) Responsible:Ventura County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Bureau, Ventura County Sheriff’s Office Cold Case Unit

Victim, City of Residence
Maria Belmontes Blancas, Unknown

On January 27, 1981, the body of a young woman was found in a citrus orchard near Piru. The victim had been shot multiple times, and her death was ruled a homicide.

At the time, investigators believed the victim was between 20 and 25 years old, of Hispanic descent, about 195 pounds, with brown eyes and brown hair. The victim was found wearing a plaid shirt, turquoise tank top, a skirt, and flip-flop style sandals.

Despite the work of detectives, the case went cold, but in 2023, the Cold Case Unit reopened the investigation using advanced DNA analysis. The DNA results suggested the victim’s family likely originated from Michoacán, Mexico.
Working with Redgrave Research Forensic Services, investigators identified potential family members. This past Summer, investigators obtained critical new information and were able to confirm the identity of the victim for the first time.

The victim has been identified as Maria Belmontes Blancas, who came to California from Mexico in 1980. After decades of uncertainty, Maria’s family – living in both the United States and Mexico finally received the answers they had long hoped for.

Maria was the victim of a violent crime, and her killer has never been identified. This case remains open.