Christina Marie Williams
Encyclopedia
Christina Marie Williams (May 1, 1985 - June 12, 1998) was a 13-year-old Filipino-American girl who was kidnapped in Seaside
, California
on June 12, 1998 while taking her dog Greg out for a walk. Christina left her home at around 7:30 PM. Greg returned at 8:20 PM trailing his leash. The case gained widespread national media attention.
Exactly seven months later, a body was found on the former Fort Ord
Army
Base about three miles from the Williams' home on January 12, 1999. The remains were positively identified as Christina's. The area where she was found had been searched previously, but nothing had been found.
Sketches of the suspects in the abduction, a male in his late teens and a man in his early twenties, were widely released in the media, but failed to cause them to be found or identified.
Christina, who was born in Okinawa Prefecture
, Japan
of a Filipino
mother and an American
father who was in the United States Navy
, attended Fitch Middle School in Seaside, California at the time of her abduction. Before moving to California, Christina and her family lived at Yokosuka Naval Base
in Japan
. It was the first time her family had lived in the mainland U.S. Among the many people affected by her case were former friends in Japan
.
Several celebrities, including Clint Eastwood
, Mariah Carey
, and Reggie Jackson
, made a public service announcement
for Christina. Investigators focused their investigation on finding a 1980s Mercury Monarch
or Ford Granada
. Up to $100,000 is offered for information leading to those responsible for her death.
The City of Marina erected a memorial in Christina's honor located at 15520 Imjin Road, across from Preston Park.
Seaside, California
Seaside is a city in Monterey County, California, United States, with a population of 33,025 as of the 2010 census. Seaside is located east-northeast of Monterey, at an elevation of 33 feet...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
on June 12, 1998 while taking her dog Greg out for a walk. Christina left her home at around 7:30 PM. Greg returned at 8:20 PM trailing his leash. The case gained widespread national media attention.
Exactly seven months later, a body was found on the former Fort Ord
Fort Ord
Fort Ord was a U.S. Army post on Monterey Bay in California. It was established in 1917 as a maneuver area and field artillery target range and was closed in September 1994. Fort Ord was one of the most attractive locations of any U.S. Army post, because of its proximity to the beach and California...
Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
Base about three miles from the Williams' home on January 12, 1999. The remains were positively identified as Christina's. The area where she was found had been searched previously, but nothing had been found.
Sketches of the suspects in the abduction, a male in his late teens and a man in his early twenties, were widely released in the media, but failed to cause them to be found or identified.
Christina, who was born in Okinawa Prefecture
Okinawa Prefecture
is one of Japan's southern prefectures. It consists of hundreds of the Ryukyu Islands in a chain over long, which extends southwest from Kyūshū to Taiwan. Okinawa's capital, Naha, is located in the southern part of Okinawa Island...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
of a Filipino
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
mother and an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
father who was in the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
, attended Fitch Middle School in Seaside, California at the time of her abduction. Before moving to California, Christina and her family lived at Yokosuka Naval Base
United States Fleet Activities Yokosuka
U.S. Fleet Activities Yokosuka, or Commander, Fleet Activities Yokosuka is a United States Navy base, in Yokosuka, Japan. Its mission is to maintain and operate base facilities for the logistic, recreational, administrative support and service of the U.S. Naval Forces Japan, U.S. 7th Fleet and...
in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. It was the first time her family had lived in the mainland U.S. Among the many people affected by her case were former friends in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
.
Several celebrities, including Clint Eastwood
Clint Eastwood
Clinton "Clint" Eastwood, Jr. is an American film actor, director, producer, composer and politician. Eastwood first came to prominence as a supporting cast member in the TV series Rawhide...
, Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. She made her recording debut with the release of her eponymous studio album in 1990, under the guidance of Columbia Records executive Tommy Mottola, whom she later married in 1993...
, and Reggie Jackson
Reggie Jackson
Reginald Martinez "Reggie" Jackson , nicknamed "Mr. October" for his clutch hitting in the postseason with the New York Yankees, is a former American Major League Baseball right fielder. During a 21-year baseball career, he played from 1967-1987 for four different teams. Jackson currently serves as...
, made a public service announcement
Public service announcement
A public service announcement or public service ad is a type of advertisement featured on television, radio, print or other media...
for Christina. Investigators focused their investigation on finding a 1980s Mercury Monarch
Mercury Monarch
The Mercury Monarch is a compact sedan manufactured by the Ford Motor Company; it was sold by the Lincoln-Mercury division from 1975 to 1980....
or Ford Granada
Ford Granada (North America)
The Ford Granada was a mid-size car built and marketed by Ford Motor Company in North America from 1975–1982, along with its sister models, the Mercury Monarch, and Lincoln Versailles. The Granada was touted by Ford as a rival to the similarly sized Mercedes-Benz 280 of the time. The Granada and...
. Up to $100,000 is offered for information leading to those responsible for her death.
The City of Marina erected a memorial in Christina's honor located at 15520 Imjin Road, across from Preston Park.