Body Bags with Joseph Scott Morgan Beauty Murdered in Van on Beach: Case Cold 42 Years: Toby Tate Death SOLVED!
Jan 27, 2026
A 1983 van homicide discovered at a coastal turnout and the strange clues left behind. Traces like sand, a missing camera, fingerprints on a soda can, and preserved blood steer the narrative. A pawn-shop lead and decades of forensic persistence revive the cold case. Advanced DNA reconstruction and genetic genealogy ultimately point investigators toward long-hidden answers.
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Remote Van Crime Creates Investigation Challenges
- A van on a remote PCH turnout contained Toby Tate, shot once in the head and unidentified at the scene.
- Sparse witnesses and 1983-era limitations made initial identification and linkage extremely difficult.
Sand On Feet Hints At Sudden Disturbance
- Joseph Scott Morgan and Dave Mack recount Toby traveling with two dogs and talking to her sister the day before.
- Sand between her toes with socks and shoes suggested she may have been hurried or interrupted before returning from the beach.
Vehicles Preserve Transfer Evidence
- A vehicle crime scene provides containment that preserves transfer evidence like fibers, prints, and blood.
- That containment makes a van a concentrated evidence source compared with exposed outdoor scenes.