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Lesley Herring was a 44-year-old Los Angeles resident who vanished from her Hollywood Hills condo on February 8, 2009. Lesley, who was actress Aasha Davis' sister, left behind her purse, keys, phone, and $26,000 in her bank account.
After Lesley failed to show up for work on February 12, 2009, Aasha reported her sister missing. The Daily Beast reported that Aasha reported Lesley missing since the latter was a creature of habit, who wouldn't have missed work for two days.
As the investigators looked into the disappearance, they zeroed in on her husband, Lyle Standford Herring Sr. Although Lesley Herring's body was never found, her husband was convicted of her second-degree murder in April 2013. The case was tried based on circumstantial evidence, including cadaver dog alerts and Lyle's actions.
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Dateline: A Sister's Search aired on June 7, 2013, and chronicled Aasha's relentless pursuit of justice to find her sister's killer.
A complete timeline of Lesley Herring murder case
Lesley Herring was a dependable 44-year-old who lived in a condo in Hollywood Hills, Los Angeles. She was last seen at her house on February 8, 2009, and her husband, Lyle Stanford Herring Sr., claimed that they had argued that night. He added that while he eventually went to bed, by the time he woke up, his wife was gone.
When Lesley didn't show up for work for two days, her employer, SimplexGrinnell, called her sister, actress Aasha Davis, to inform her. Aasha filed a missing persons report in March 2009, since Lesley's husband hadn't done so.
Police found Lesley’s purse, keys, ID, phone, ATM card, and gold bracelets in her car’s trunk, along with $26,000 in her bank. They believed that this was proof that she didn't leave voluntarily.
Lyle became a suspect early on, but his cooperation was described as “fragmented” by LAPD Detective Chris Gable. A week later, Lyle was stopped by customs officers returning from Mexico, claiming he was searching for Lesley Herring. However, her family doubted his story, as they claimed she would have shared her travel plans with them.
Lyle Herrings' suspicious behaviour
Detectives learned Lesley had told her mother that she was planning on leaving Lyle. The investigation into Lesley's disappearance intensified as the year 2009 went on, but the detectives were unable to find Lesley or her body.
However, a cadaver dog, Indiana Bones, alerted to human decomposition in the trunks of Lyle's vehicles, hinting that a body had been transported in it. Additionally, True Crime News reported that investigators found out that Lyle had planted a Starbucks receipt from February 10, 2009, in his wife's purse. He seemingly did this to imply that Lesley was alive. However, surveillance footage showed him buying coffee from Starbucks on the same date.
Phone records revealed calls between Lesley Herring’s and Lyle’s phones, both of which pinged the same cell tower. This indicated that Lyle was likely using both devices. His computer searches included terms like “U.S.-Mexico Border” and “Which Country Do I Flee to?”, suggesting plans to evade justice.
A neighbor also reported seeing Lyle wheeling a large, rolled-up carpet on a dolly at midnight on February 8, potentially to dispose of Lesley’s body, as per The Daily Beast
In April 2010, after 14 months, Lyle was arrested at California State University, Northridge, where he worked as a recruiter, and charged with Lesley Herring’s murder.
Trial and convection of Lyle Herring
Lyle Herring’s trial began in 2013, relying on circumstantial evidence due to the absence of Lesley Herring’s body. Prosecutors, led by Deputy District Attorney Pak Kouch, argued Lyle killed Lesley to prevent her from leaving him.
Key evidence included the cadaver dog alerts, the Starbucks receipt, and Lyle’s alleged statement to his cousin Malcolm, saying he would “burn in hell” for what he did, as per The Daily Beast.
The prosecution also highlighted Lyle’s Mexico trip, where he returned with his dreadlocks cut, claiming a gang had attacked him. However, LAPD Detective Chris Gable dismissed the story as implausible. After a three-week trial, Lyle was convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to 15 years to life in June 2013, as per True Crime News. The judge called the evidence “overwhelming.”
In 2015, Lyle appealed, challenging the cadaver dog evidence and jury instructions, but the California 2nd District Court of Appeal upheld the conviction. They cited compelling evidence of Lesley’s death, including her sudden disappearance and Lyle’s behavior.
Aasha Davis was present throughout the trial, hoping for closure, but Lesley’s remains remain missing, as reported by True Crime News.
Stay tuned for more news and updates.
