A severely decomposed female body discovered in a shallow grave in Southern California 45 years ago has been identified as Thelma Jeanette Gaston, an 80-year-old multimillionaire from Los Angeles County who was murdered by a younger associate.

The Riverside County Sheriff’s Office announced Wednesday that Gaston, a real estate investor with an estimated net worth of $20 million, was the victim of a 1981 homicide. She was identified as the “Jane Doe” corpse found near Sugar Loaf Mountain in November 1981, thanks to significant advances in forensic science and genetic genealogy that allowed investigators to solve the decades-old cold case in May.

Gaston was last seen on June 28, 1981. Her last known communication was a note left at her Rancho Park home stating she was going to look for her cat. Investigators later found additional letters, allegedly from Gaston, indicating she was turning over her financial affairs to Lawrence Remsen, who was 39 at the time. These letters suggested she felt others were after her money and that she intended to "have some fun in life."

However, Gaston's nephew and associate, John Mittrick, told police the letters were not in line with her character as a “shrewd businesswoman.” Investigations revealed that documents associated with the transfer of assets were certified using a stolen notary stamp, and Gaston's signatures were forged. The letters were determined to be fraudulent.

Remsen, who worked as a carpet salesman and in the alarm system industry, had infiltrated Gaston's life, posing as her lover. He was reportedly discussing marriage with her before her death.

Following Gaston's disappearance, Remsen attempted to sell her possessions and withdraw more than $100,000 from her bank accounts. Police found stolen items belonging to Gaston and her Mercedes-Benz in Remsen's West Los Angeles apartment. The vehicle later went missing.

Remsen was apprehended in Texas in September 1981 while attempting to cross into Mexico. He initially claimed Gaston had died of natural causes in her home and that he had buried her at sea. A judge convicted Remsen of second-degree murder in 1983, stating he killed Gaston "intentionally and with malice," and sentenced him to life in prison, even without positive identification of her body at the time. The judge described Remsen as an "incompetent scoundrel."

Remsen, now 83, has been denied parole four times since 2016, including most recently on April 12, 2023. His appeals against further incarceration have also been denied.