A motion by Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich extending a $20,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for the kidnapping and murder of Leslie Long (at left in photo) was approved by the Board of Supervisors.

On Sunday, December 3, 1978, 20 year-old Palmdale resident Leslie Long, the mother of three small children, was working the evening shift at the Chevron Gas Station (now Alliance Gas) located at the corner of Palmdale Boulevard and Division Street, in the City of Palmdale, when unknown suspects entered the office area, robbed her of the money inside the location’s floor safe and kidnapped her at gunpoint.

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At approximately 9:30 p.m., a gas station customer found the station office wide open and lights turned on but there was no attendant in sight.  The customer saw that the floor safe was open and empty and numerous coins were scattered on the floor.  The victim’s purse was still in the office and her vehicle still parked behind the gas station.  Sheriff Deputies were called and a massive manhunt ensued.

On Wednesday, December 6, 1978, the Sheriff’s Department Aero Bureau found the victim’s body at the base of a small hill off of the 14 freeway at Soledad Canyon Road in Acton, eight miles south of the gas station. Homicide investigators responded to the scene and discovered she had been shot and killed at this location.  An autopsy later revealed she had also been sexually assaulted.  Evidence at the crime scene revealed at least 2 suspects were involved, perhaps more.

Extensive media coverage of the robbery/kidnap/murder focused on two prison escapees from a prison in Northern California who were recently excluded, with DNA technology, from the trace evidence found at the crime scene.  They are no longer suspects and this case remains open and unsolved.

“Crime Stoppers Case Files,” the Los Angeles Regional Crime Stoppers Television Program partnered with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau and the victim’s surviving family members to air a re-enactment of the robbery/kidnap/murder. The program aired on KCAL 9 in October of 2011.

The $20,000 reward offer approved by Board of Supervisors on October 4, 2011 is due to expire on January 2, 2012 and the Sheriff’s Department has requested the extension.

Supervisor Antonovich asks anyone with information to contact Detectives Brian Schoonmaker at the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5579.