A shoplifting arrest for a vise unraveled one of the most disturbing cases in California history. Officers who ran a driver's license found it belonged to a man who'd been missing for a week.
Leonard Lake and Charles Ng were responsible for the torture and murder of at least 11 people, and possibly as many as 25, at a remote cabin in Calaveras County, California, in the mid-1980s. Their case ended with Lake's suicide and Ng's eventual death sentence.
A Difficult Path
Lake, born in 1945 in San Francisco, was diagnosed with schizophrenia during his military service in the Vietnam War and was medically discharged. After brief stints in college and involvement in California's hippie counterculture, he spent time in prison for auto theft in 1980. He later married Claralyn Balazs, known as "Cricket," and the two settled at a remote cabin in Calaveras County.
Escalation to Murder
Lake began killing people connected to the cabin, taking their identification and belongings to assume their identities. He later placed an advertisement in a war-gaming magazine, through which he met Charles Ng, then in his early 20s. The two went on to commit a series of murders together at the property.
The Victims
Their known victims included neighbors Lonnie Bond and his girlfriend, Brenda O'Connor, along with their infant son; a family named Dubs, including their young son; and several others connected to the case, including relatives searching for missing victims and coworkers of Ng's. Given the severity of what court records documented, we won't detail the specific nature of the crimes further here.
An Arrest Over Shoplifting
The case unraveled in June 1985, when Ng was caught shoplifting a vise from a San Francisco-area hardware store. Lake arrived at the scene attempting to help, but police had already been called. Officers grew suspicious of Lake and asked for identification; the driver's license he presented belonged to a man who had been reported missing a week earlier. A search of his car also turned up an illegally modified firearm registered to another missing man.
What Investigators Found
A subsequent search of Lake's cabin uncovered stolen vehicles, more than 40 kilograms of burned human bone fragments, numerous victims' identification documents and credit cards, and videotapes documenting the abuse of at least two of the victims. Based on the volume of evidence recovered, investigators estimated the true number of victims could be as high as 25, though only 11 murders were ultimately confirmed through court proceedings.
Lake's Death
While in police custody, Lake swallowed cyanide capsules he'd concealed in his clothing and died in a hospital days later, before facing trial.
Ng's Trial and Sentence
Ng was tried on 11 counts of murder, based on video evidence, Lake's personal diary, and testimony from Lake's wife, who cooperated with investigators. He argued at trial that he had acted under Lake's direction and influence; the court rejected this argument, finding he had acted of his own will. He was convicted and sentenced to death in 1999.
Where Things Stand Now
Ng remains on death row in California. California has maintained a moratorium on executions since 2019, following one in 2006, meaning his sentence has not been carried out.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Charles Ng still alive?
Yes. He remains on death row in California, where executions have been under an official moratorium since 2019.
How was the case discovered?
Ng was arrested for shoplifting a vise, and the subsequent investigation into Lake's fake identification led police to the cabin where the murders had taken place.
How many people did Lake and Ng actually kill?
11 murders were confirmed through court proceedings, though investigators estimated the true total could be as high as 25 based on evidence recovered from the cabin.