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Convicted serial killer William Suff is the focus of an upcoming episode of Unknown Serial Killers of America, a new Oxygen series revisiting one of California’s most harrowing serial murder investigations.
William Suff, who is serving a death sentence for 12 killings, has been linked to at least 13 confirmed victims and possibly more, according to The Guardian report dated August 13, 2024. Known as the Riverside Prostitute Killer, William Suff preyed on women across Riverside County between 1986 and 1991.
Many of the victims were sex workers, and as noted by the LA Times report dated July 29, 1992, several had been strangled, stabbed, and mutilated, with some left in deliberately staged positions.
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William Suff is believed to have killed up to 30 women across Southern California, with some victims still unidentified
William Suff, also known as the Riverside Prostitute Killer and the Lake Elsinore Killer, is linked to a brutal series of murders targeting women in Southern California between 1986 and 1991.
Although he was convicted of 12 murders in 1995, law enforcement agencies estimate the actual number of victims could be as high as 30. His case will be revisited in Unknown Serial Killers of America, an Oxygen true-crime series that premieres on May 18, 2025. The episode featuring William Suff is scheduled for May 25 at 7:00 p.m. ET/PT.
The victims were primarily women involved in sex work, many of whom battled drug and alcohol addiction. Most of them were found in Riverside County, dumped in remote areas, dumpsters, or near industrial zones.
Some bodies were so badly decomposed that identification was only possible through dental records or DNA. A few, like Cathy Small, remained unidentified for years until advancements in forensic science provided clarity.
Victims and patterns across Riverside County
The first confirmed victim, Michelle Yvette Gutierrez, was found in a drainage ditch in Rubidoux in October 1986. She had been strangled and mutilated. Over the next five years, more victims surfaced: Charlotte Palmer, Linda Ortega, Martha Young, and others.
Several bore signs of sexual trauma, stabbing, or strangulation. In three cases, breasts had been severed, suggesting a pattern of escalating violence.
In a 1992 grand jury indictment, Suff was charged with the murders of 14 women. As per the Los Angeles Times report dated July 29, 1992, Deputy District Attorney Paul Zellerbach stated,
"It can safely be said that the prostitute serial killer in Riverside County is now in jail, where he belongs."
The victims listed in the indictment include Charlotte Palmer, Cheryl Coker, Susan Sternfeld, and Eleanore Casares, among others. A major development in the investigation took place in August 1991. A woman escaped an attempted attack and later identified Suff's vehicle.
That same night, another woman, Kelly Hammond, was found dead, still warm when discovered. This led to increased scrutiny of Suff, and in January 1992, he was pulled over for a traffic violation, leading to his arrest.
New link to Cathy Small in 2024
In August 2024, DNA evidence connected William Suff to the 1986 murder of Cathy Small. According to The Guardian report dated August 13, 2024, Lt. Patricia Thomas stated,
"He confessed and discussed in detail the murder of Cathy Small."
Small, a mother of two, was found in South Pasadena having suffered both stab wounds and strangulation. Her case went cold until forensic testing in 2020 and an interview in 2022 confirmed Suff's involvement. Investigators believe Suff picked up Small under the pretense of giving her a ride and later killed her after an argument.
Despite his 1995 death sentence, William Suff remains on death row. He was previously convicted in 1974 for killing his infant daughter, paroled in 1984, and began his killing spree soon after. As the Unknown Serial Killers of America episode will highlight, his crimes often went under the radar, unlike those of more infamous murderers.
Stay tuned for more updates.
