We know that they got engaged in November, but not the specific date. This isn’t Judy’s actual ring (although she was still wearing it when they found her body), but it is exactly the same ring by description. Distressed gold with a rose on top and a small diamond in the middle.

A bearded young man appeared at Sutter Memorial Hospital and asked if Judith was on duty and then left.

Sutter Memorial Hospital

Judy was seen by a witness who told police that they saw her driving home at roughly 11:30pm.

A “dark sedan” was seen speeding near the Markston Apartment parking lot with the headlights off, almost hitting another motorist at roughly midnight. An interesting note here is that the description closely matches the description of the car seen with three men by the landowner of the property where Judy’s body was discovered. More on that ahead on this Crimeline.

Sunday, March 8 and Monday, March 9, Ray Willis, Judy’s father Wilho “Bill” Hakari, Judy’s brother Michael Hakari and Sacramento County Sheriff deputies search nearby fields.

Judy’s fiancé Ray Willis finds her car in the parking lot with signs of a struggle. The car door was open, keys on the floorboard, buttons from her coat on the seats and strips of a towel.

After discovering Judy’s car and quickly scanning the parking lot, Ray goes back into Judy’s apartment and calls the police…and then Judy’s dad.

A nurse’s uniform was found in a trash can at a Sacramento service station, but it turned out not to be the type Judy wore.

Three “well-dressed” young men are spotted at the place where Judy’s grave would be discovered the following month by the landowner. They were digging in the ground. They claim to be digging for collectible bottles, which was suspicious considering their attire. Their car’s trunk was partially open and as the landowner approached, one of the men closed the trunk.

The Sacramento County Sheriff Department reports that they have not found any useable evidence to find Judy’s whereabouts.

Judy’s parents announce a $1,000 reward for information leading to the whereabouts of their daughter.

Three weeks after Judy’s disappearance, Sacramento County Sheriff detectives are no longer assigned to her case full time.

Judy’s body is discovered in a shallow four foot long, two feet deep grave in Weimar, CA, 40 miles East of Sacramento. She was still wearing her nurse’s uniform with her name tag on it. She had been beaten, raped, bludgeoned and strangled.

A homicide detective knocked on the Hakari family home. Judy’s dad opened the door. The detective put his hand out and when Mr. Hakari looked down, he saw Judy’s engagement ring. After the detective informed him of the circumstances and that Judy was dead. He simply said, “Thank you.” and went back into the house and closed the door behind him.

Judy’s obituary is published in the Sacramento Bee. There is no mention of how she died.

Investigators disclose that they are looking for three young men in connection with Judy’s abduction, rape and murder.

It was announced that six detectives from both the Sacramento County Sheriff and Placer County Sheriff are now assigned full-time to Judy’s case. Lieutenant Arthur Ables of the Placer County Sheriff Office is assigned as the lead investigator.

Spearheaded by Judy’s mom Evelyn Hakari, the Judith Ann Hakari Memorial Scholarship in Nursing at Sacramento State College is announced by the director of foundations Eugene Morris. It is a perpetual scholarship that will cover tuition and books. Eligibility requires the recipient to have graduated from a Sacramento area high school. The scholarship is still in place today.

Judy’s car sold for $2,250 and the money went into her memorial fund, bringing the fund total to $4,250 at the time.

27 year old court reporter Nancy Bennallack was stabbed to death in her upstairs apartment after 11:30pm in the Polynesian Apartment complex off Arden Way in Sacramento…barely one block away from the Markston Apartment complex where Judy was taken. Like Judy, she was also engaged to be married. The striking similarities in this case has linked Nancy’s murder to Judy’s for the past 50 years.

22 year old nurse’s assistant Carol Beth Hilburn is found nude and beaten beyond recognition in a field in Rio Linda, just outside Sacramento. Her throat had been cut. Carol was estranged from her husband and living in a Santa Rosa area apartment with her sister. She had previously lived in Sacramento and was in town visiting friends. As with Judy and Nancy Bennallack, no suspects have ever been named.

The Sacramento Bee Newspaper announces an anonymous crime tip line they call “Secret Witness”. They guarantee total anonymity and a $2,500 reward for each case that the tipster provides information leading to the conviction of the killer. The Bee claims that the Judith Ann Hakari case was one of the cases that inspired the program.

Sixteen years after her daughter was brutally murdered, Evelyn Hakari passes away.

Thirty seven years after his daughter was brutally murdered, Wilho “Bill” Hakari passes.

Solve Crimes with Rick & Gavin begins investigating the Judith Ann Hakari cold case.

Solve Crimes with Rick & Gavin releases first podcast episode featuring the Hakari case. Click PODCAST at the top of the page to listen or find us where you listen to podcasts.

Solve Crimes with Rick & Gavin releases second podcast episode featuring the Hakari case. Click PODCAST at the top of the page to listen or find us where you listen to podcasts.

Solve Crimes with Rick & Gavin release the second episode in the Hakari series to YouTube. Click VIDEOS at the top of the page to watch or find us on YouTube and subscribe, like and click the bell for alerts on new episodes.