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Cold Case Renewed: Melinda Brown Disappeared After Party; Remains Found Near Shallow Grave 12 Days Later

Melinda Brown, 18, vanished after leaving a Simi Valley house party on Nov. 15, 1998. Twelve days later her remains were found beside a shallow grave in the Hungry Valley area of Los Padres National Forest; authorities say she had been shot in the back and wildlife had disturbed the scene. Detectives suspect she knew her killer and say early inquiries were hindered by uncooperative witnesses. Renewed hopes focus on updated DNA testing of trace evidence, and officials are urging anyone with information to come forward.

11:34 AM, 11/28/2025Society
Cold Case Renewed: Melinda Brown Disappeared After Party; Remains Found Near Shallow Grave 12 Days Later

On the evening of Nov. 15, 1998, 18-year-old Melinda Brown left her parents' home in Simi Valley, California, to attend a house party. Officer intervention dispersed the gathering around 10:30 p.m., and Brown and several friends moved to an apartment complex nearby where the group continued socializing for a few hours. She never returned home.

When Brown missed a scheduled shift at In-N-Out Burger on Nov. 17, her family reported her missing. Ten days after that — 12 days after she was last seen — her remains were discovered a few hundred yards off a well-traveled dirt road in the Hungry Valley area of Los Padres National Forest near Gorman. The body was found beside a shallow grave and showed signs of animal activity. Investigators later determined she had been shot in the back.

Unresolved Questions

Many aspects of Brown's final movements remain unclear. Some witnesses told investigators she was dropped off at a liquor store around 1 a.m., roughly half a mile from her home, but deputies say they have no reliable witness who placed her there and now doubt that account. Where the homicide occurred has not been determined.

“All indications are that she was murdered and then transported and left in Gorman, but we don't know that,” said Ventura County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Craig Hennes. “We believe Melinda knew the person who killed her, and we're trying to prove that right now.”

There is no clear evidence that Brown was abducted from her neighborhood, where she lived with her parents and sister. Early investigators faced significant roadblocks because members of the friend group who last saw her were not forthcoming at the time, according to authorities.

Evidence and New Leads

Detectives hope advances in DNA technology will generate a breakthrough. Kathryn Torres, a senior deputy with the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office, said multiple DNA samples and trace evidence were collected during the original processing, and investigators have begun resubmitting that material for updated analysis. Authorities are optimistic that modern testing could produce a suspect DNA profile.

Investigators continue to urge anyone with information about Melinda Brown's disappearance and death to come forward. Sgt. Hennes noted that people who were reluctant to speak in the past may now be willing to help.

How to Help

If you have information about this case, contact the Ventura County Sheriff’s Major Crimes Unit at (805) 383-8739 or email coldcase@ventura.org. To remain anonymous, call Ventura County Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477 or submit a tip online at www.venturacountycrimestoppers.org.

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