Full Notification

Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Homicide Detectives have announced the identification (through DNA evidence) and arrest of 65 year-old Robert Yniguez, on Thursday, September 28, 2017, for the 1980 murder of Teresa Broudreaux.

In the early morning hours of Tuesday, March 4, 1980, Victim Teresa Broudreaux’ nude, lifeless body was discovered on the shoreline of Malaga Cove Beach, in Palos Verdes Estates. Victim Broudreaux had sustained blunt force trauma to her head. She was only 20-years old, a mother to a 4-year-old girl, was a newlywed, and at the time of her murder, was pregnant.

Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Homicide Detectives Thomas Johnston and Kenneth Gallatin were assigned the case and recovered several items of evidence during their investigation.  After homicide investigators followed up on numerous leads, they were unable to identify a suspect and the case went cold. Several years later, the homicide detectives retired and the case of Teresa Boudreaux was filed in the Homicide Bureau library as an “Unsolved Case.” 

Many years had passed by and Unsolved Investigator Harry Lewins was able to use new DNA technology to develop leads from the evidence that was collected back in 1980 at the crime scene.
  
Homicide Investigator Ralph Hernandez was assigned to review the case and this decades old investigation continued through because the new evidence was compelling. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau’s Unsolved Unit conducted an extensive time consuming investigation and worked closely with the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.

Sheriff Jim McDonnell stated, “These cases wait for the powerful combination of a detective who never gives up, a witness with a guilty conscience, a suspect with self-serving interest, or in this case, new DNA technology.”

“It’s been a long time for this day,” said Ronnie Fematt, the victim’s husband. “It’s been a long time for what I’ve been through,” he added.

Captain Christopher Bergner, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau, said, “Unsolved cases date back to 1927, they have no statute of limitations, and in this case, we caught a break.  I want to recognize the Unsolved Unit for their skills and dedication, otherwise, we would not be here today.”
 
Robert Yniguez, is held in lieu of $1,000,000 million dollars bail and will be arraigned on Monday, October 2, 2017.
 
Anyone with information about the suspect(s), or this incident is highly encouraged to contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department's Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500.  If you prefer to provide information anonymously, you may call "Crime Stoppers" by dialing (800) 222-TIPS (8477), use your smartphone by downloading the “P3 Tips” Mobile APP on Google play or the Apple App Store or by using the website http://lacrimestoppers.org.
 
 
Prepared by:
Deputy Lisa Jansen
Sheriff’s Information Bureau
Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department
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Jim McDonnell, Sheriff
Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department