70-year-old man arrested for 1983 cold case murder in California
- Michael Larry Manatt, 70, was arrested for the 1983 murder of Ronald Gaskey in Newport Beach, California.
- Gaskey was found dead in his home, having been struck with a blunt object; at the time, robbery was ruled out as a motive.
- Detectives reopened the cold case in recent years, leading to Manatt's identification as a suspect and subsequent arrest.
In a significant development in a 41-year-old cold case, Newport Beach police in Southern California announced the arrest of 70-year-old Michael Larry Manatt on charges related to the murder of Ronald Gaskey. The murder occurred on December 13, 1983, when Ronald Gaskey, then 36 years old, was found brutally murdered in his own home. A former girlfriend discovered the body after he failed to appear for work at his construction job, prompting an investigation. At the time, investigators noted that Gaskey had been struck in the head and face with a blunt object. Initial investigations into Gaskey's murder failed to yield any suspects or leads, and the case went cold for decades. However, in recent years, detectives reopened the investigation, conducting new interviews and revisiting evidence collected from the crime scene. Through this renewed effort, they were able to identify Michael Larry Manatt as a suspect, although police have not yet disclosed how they reached this conclusion or the specific motive behind the murder. The circumstances surrounding Gaskey's death are particularly troubling, as he was known to have taken extensive measures to secure his home, making the unlocked front door at the time of his murder all the more perplexing. Neighbors reported that Gaskey was very security-conscious, and the lack of forced entry suggested that robbery was not a likely motive, as his home had not been ransacked. The investigation, which has now led to an arrest after so many years, raises questions about how unresolved cases can eventually be revisited with new perspectives and techniques. As of now, Manatt is being held in jail on a $1 million bail. There are currently no public records indicating whether he has legal representation. The Orange County public defender's office, which could potentially offer comments on his defense, has not responded to inquiries related to this case. The community is left wondering about the details of the ongoing investigation and what new information will emerge regarding this long-unsolved case.