A woman found murdered in a California high school parking lot in 1980 has finally been identified, bringing long-awaited answers to a case that remained unsolved for more than four decades.
On July 18, 1980, deputies discovered the body of a young pregnant woman in the upper parking lot of Westlake High School in Thousand Oaks. She had suffered multiple stab wounds, and the Ventura County Medical Examiner ruled her death a homicide.
Despite investigative efforts at the time, authorities were unable to determine her identity. With no name and no suspect, she became known simply as “Jane Doe Ventura County,” and the case eventually went cold — though officials say it was never forgotten.
Over the years, advances in forensic science offered renewed hope. In 2011, detectives revisiting the case developed a DNA profile that linked the killing to Wilson Chouest.
Chouest, now 75, was already serving a life sentence for violent crimes committed later in 1980. He was subsequently convicted of the murder of the unidentified woman and sentenced to an additional life term without the possibility of parole.
Still, the victim’s identity remained unknown.
That changed in January 2026, when investigators, working with the nonprofit DNA Doe Project and using updated genetic genealogy techniques, were able to confirm that the woman was Maricela Rocha Parga, a 22-year-old from Los Angeles who was several months pregnant at the time of her death.
The Ventura County Sheriff formally announced her identification during a press conference on Feb. 23.
For Parga’s family, the breakthrough has been both painful and healing. In a video released by the sheriff’s office, her sister described the emotional toll of learning details about her final moments.
She said discovering the truth has been a difficult journey, especially imagining the violence her sister endured.
Parga’s brother reflected on their mother, who passed away without ever knowing what happened to her daughter.
He recalled their mother speaking Maricela’s name before she died, still searching for answers. Now, he said, the family finally has closure and can begin to heal.
Authorities emphasized that the case represents more than a conviction. By identifying the victim, they said, investigators were able to restore her name and return her story to her family after 46 years of uncertainty.
The resolution underscores the growing role of DNA technology in solving long-standing cold cases.
For decades, Maricela Rocha Parga was known only as a Jane Doe. Today, she is remembered not just as a victim, but as a daughter, sister and expectant mother whose identity has finally been reclaimed.
