Man Who Successfully Passed Lie Detector Test in 1979 Teen Murder Case Now Identified as Prime Suspect

In 1979, a man named Lewis Randolph “Randy” Williamson passed a lie detector test clearing him of the rape and murder of 17-year-old Esther Gonzalez. However, through forensic genealogy, Williamson was identified as the suspected killer in Gonzalez’s case. Gonzalez was found raped and bludgeoned to death near Banning, California. Williamson was argumentative when he reported the body but passed the polygraph test at the time. Detectives continued to investigate the case over the years and in 2023, they initiated a Forensic Investigative Genetic Genealogy investigation. It was discovered that Williamson’s DNA matched the DNA recovered from Gonzalez’s body. Williamson died in 2014 in Florida. Authorities are now seeking information on Williamson, Gonzalez’s case, and any potential other victims. The Cold Case Homicide Team determined that although Williamson was cleared by the polygraph in 1979, he was never cleared through DNA analysis because the technology did not exist at the time. A blood sample from Williamson’s autopsy was compared to the DNA recovered from the crime scene, confirming his involvement in Gonzalez’s death. The Justice Department recently confirmed this DNA match.

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