Calaveras Cold Case Task Force Update
July 16, 2026 – Calaveras County Sheriff's Office officials report that on Monday, July 13, members of the Calaveras Cold Case Task Force gathered alongside forensic experts, instrumental supporters, and local elected officials, including Supervisor Martin Huberty and Sheriff Rachelle Whiting, for a solemn and long-awaited moment: the return of Reginald Elliot Frisby's remains to his family after four decades of uncertainty.
A brief invocation led by a Sheriff's Chaplain marked the closing chapter of the Task Force's work to restore Frisby's identity.
Born in 1956 in New York, Reginald "Reggie" Frisby had never been reported missing and, for decades, was not believed to be connected to the Wilseyville Serial Killer case.
Reggie's remains were discovered in 1985 during the investigation into the Wilseyville Serial Killings. At the time, investigators were unable to determine his identity, and he remained unidentified for the next forty years. Although previous efforts were made to identify him, the breakthrough came after the Calaveras Cold Case Task Force was established in 2020. Advancements in DNA technology and the emergence of Forensic Investigative Genetic Genealogy (FIGG) enabled the Task Force to restore Reggie's identity and continue bringing long-overdue answers to families.
One of the Task Force's largest and most significant efforts has been the examination of more than 1,000 pieces of human remains exhumed from a San Andreas crypt associated with the Wilseyville Serial Killings. That work continues today and remains central to the Task Force's mission of identifying victims and returning them to their loved ones.
The identification of Reggie Frisby was the result of an extraordinary collaborative effort involving members of the Calaveras Cold Case Task Force, public and private forensic laboratories, and nationally recognized leaders in Forensic Investigative Genetic Genealogy.
Related: Calaveras County Remains Identified as San Francisco Man, Victim of Wilseyville Serial Killers Charles Ng and Leonard Lake
The Calaveras Cold Case Task Force extends its heartfelt condolences to the family of Reginald "Reggie" Frisby. While no amount of time can erase the pain of losing a loved one, it has been a profound honor to help restore Reggie's identity and return him to his family with the dignity he deserved. The Task Force remains committed to providing answers to families who have waited far too long and ensuring that every victim is remembered by name.
Every breakthrough achieved by the Calaveras Cold Case Task Force has been made possible through the generosity of donors. The Task Force operates entirely on donated funds, which have financed more than $300,000 in private laboratory testing, forensic analysis, and genealogical research to reexamine remains and identify victims as part of its ongoing investigations.
The Calaveras Cold Case Task Force has additional major case updates pending.
For more information about the Calaveras Cold Case Task Force and its ongoing work, please visit www.calaverascoldcase.org.
Source & photos: Calaveras County Sheriff's Office
