A man walked into a bedroom where three 12-year-old girls were having a slumber party, threatened them with a knife, and took one of them. It took less than five minutes, and it changed how America searched for missing children.
The Abduction
On the night of October 1, 1993, in Petaluma, California, 12-year-old Polly Klaas and two friends were having a slumber party while Polly's mother slept in a nearby room. Around 11 p.m., a man entered the bedroom armed with a knife, restrained the girls, and abducted Polly. Her two friends freed themselves shortly after and alerted Polly's mother, who called police.
The Search
The search for Polly became one of the largest in U.S. history for a missing child, involving roughly 4,000 volunteers and search dogs covering more than 1,000 square miles. Digitized composite sketches and internet-driven awareness helped spread word of her disappearance nationally and internationally, and actress Winona Ryder, also from Petaluma, offered a $200,000 reward.
A Missed Opportunity
On the same night Polly disappeared, sheriff's deputies had stopped and assisted a trespasser, Richard Allen Davis, near the area, with no way of knowing at the time that he was connected to the case.
The Break in the Case
About two months later, a property manager found items belonging to Polly near the same area where Davis had earlier been stopped. The discovery led police back to Davis, who had a lengthy criminal history including robbery and attempted rape. He was arrested, identified in a lineup by the two surviving witnesses, and matched to a palm print recovered from the crime scene.
Confession and Conviction
Davis confessed to Polly's kidnapping and murder and led investigators to her body, buried in a shallow grave roughly 30 miles from Petaluma. A jury convicted him of kidnapping, murder, and related charges. Judge Thomas Hastings sentenced him to death, citing his conduct during the trial, which included disruptive outbursts in the courtroom.
FAQ
Who killed Polly Klaas?
Richard Allen Davis, who was convicted of her kidnapping and murder in 1996.
What sentence did Davis receive?
He was sentenced to death and remains on death row in California.
How did police finally identify Davis?
Items belonging to Polly were found near where Davis had been previously stopped, leading investigators back to him roughly two months after her disappearance.