Riverside County Cold Case Solved as Exhumed Remains Identify Teen Killed in 1978 Fatal Crash on Arlington Avenue

RIVERSIDE, CA — Southern California investigators have identified the last unknown victim from a deadly 1978 crash in Riverside after nearly five decades of uncertainty. The teen, who died in the wreck on Arlington Avenue, was named this week as 18-year-old Mark Alan Smith.

Authorities said the case broke open only after his body was exhumed and tested with forensic genetic genealogy.

How the crash unfolded

The fatal wreck happened June 2, 1978, when a Volkswagen Beetle carrying five teenage passengers lost control while traveling westbound on Arlington Avenue, according to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office. The car crossed the center divider and hit a sport utility vehicle traveling on the roadway.

Four of the young people in the Beetle died in the crash, while the driver survived and later told investigators he had met one of the passengers only the day before.

One victim stayed unnamed

Three of the four victims were identified at the time, but the last teenager remained a mystery for years. Officials said his family had no information about him, and investigators were unable to determine his identity despite a long-running effort.

Smith was later described by investigators as a native of Kansas. It was not clear whether he had moved to Riverside or was only visiting when the crash happened.

Exhumation led to clues

Coroner investigators working under Sergeant Nancy Rissi recently exhumed Smith’s remains as part of the renewed effort to solve the case. That step allowed them to use newer forensic genetic genealogy methods to develop the leads that finally pointed to his identity.

Lieutenant Deirdre Vickers said the exhumation was supported by the Bureau of Justice Assistance’s Missing and Unidentified Human Remains grant program, which helped provide the resources needed for the work.

Family finally gets answers

Investigators also got help from GenGenies, a nonprofit that funded the forensic genetic genealogy testing used in the identification process. Riverside County officials said those combined efforts delivered long-awaited closure to Smith’s family.

The sheriff’s office released a photo of Smith showing a smiling young man with light hair and a white dress shirt, underscoring how much of his story had remained unknown for nearly 50 years.

TNSO covers California, Nevada, and Arizona as the story unfolds.