On September 23, 2022, the Missoula County Sheriff’s Office Cold Case Unit announced that Leonard D. (“8 Ball”) Owen was the lead suspect in the September 13, 1992 murder of William T. Adams (Cadillac Man”) in Missoula, Montana. The case has been cleared by exception due to the death of Owen.
Adams was found partially buried in the Peace Tree Camp near the Interstate-90 highway. He died from head trauma and a stab wound to the chest. The broken knife was still in his chest when he was found. His jacket and sweater were pulled up in a way that suggested he had been dragged to the location where his body was found. Adams was known to be transient.
A DNA profile of the suspect was developed from blood found on clothing located at the crime scene. Investigators believe that the suspect cut himself while stabbing Adams. There is no information on who performed the FGG investigation, which was funded by Season of Justice.
Owen, who is also known to have been transient, had a criminal history of violent crimes.
Sources:
Buchli, Zoë. “Missoula Cold Case Team Solves 30-Year-Old Murder.” Local 8 News, September 24, 2022. Accessed September 27, 2022. https://localnews8.com/news/2022/09/24/missoula-cold-case-team-solves-30-year-old-murder/.
Missoula County Sheriff’s Office. “Missoula CSO Solves 30-Year-Old Transient Murder Case.” Montana Right Now, September 23, 2022. Accessed September 27, 2022. https://www.montanarightnow.com/missoula/missoula-cso-solves-30-year-old-transient-murder-case/article_68112904-3b61-11ed-bc1c-1ffb1b3aa43c.html.
Valley, Jill. “Missoula Cold Case Murder Solved After 30 Years.” KPAX News 8, September 23, 2022. Last modified September 24, 2022. Accessed September 27, 2022. https://www.kpax.com/news/missoula-county/missoula-cold-case-murder-solved-after-30-years.