Suspect Arrested in Relation to Decades-Old Cold Case Killing in Northern California

James Oliver Unick of Willows, Calif., is arrested on July 22, 2024. Cloverdale Police Department

A suspect in Northern California linked to a 42-year-old cold-case murder was arrested July 22 after DNA technology identified him as the alleged killer.

James Oliver Unick, 62, from Willows, was apprehended and booked into the Sonoma County Jail Monday on charges of murder, rape, kidnapping, and lewd and lascivious acts with a minor under 14 by force, according to the Cloverdale Police Department.

Mr. Unick is accused of killing 13-year-old Sarah Ann Geer. She was found deceased in the downtown area of Cloverdale on May 24, 1982. The case remained unsolved for decades until 2021 when police reopened the case to re-examine evidence and use technological advancements in cold case work to find her killer.

The department said this led to the identification of a male DNA profile and the arrest of Mr. Unick.

“Today represents a bittersweet victory for justice. While nothing can undo the pain inflicted upon the Geer family and our community, we can finally offer some solace in knowing that the perpetrator will be held accountable,” Cloverdale Police Chief Chris Parker said in a statement on July 22.

Police said the investigation and arrest were made possible through the collaborative efforts of the Glenn County Sheriff’s Office, the FBI, the Sonoma County District Attorney’s Office, the Department of Justice, a Northern California private investigator and SERI Labs, and a forensic DNA testing facility also in Northern California.

They also thanked the local community members for their patience and support throughout the “complexities of the decades-old case, which many feared would never be solved.”

According to the Sonoma County Sheriff’s inmate records, Mr. Unick was booked without bail. He was scheduled to appear in court July 24.

Police said that Sarah Geer’s family had been notified of the arrest of Mr. Unick and that they were appreciative of getting “some closure” in the case.

“This arrest signifies not only a step towards closure but also a reiteration of our commitment to ensuring safety and justice for all in Cloverdale,” said Mayor Todd Lands.