Seaside Police looking to solve murder of five-year-old Anne Pham 40 years later

SEASIDE, Calif. (KION-TV)- Anne Pham was five-years-old when she was brutally murdered and sexually assaulted in 1982. Her murderer dumped her body near a ditch in Fort Ord where she was discovered approximately two miles from her home.

Seaside Police said Pham was abducted on a rainy morning on January 21, 1982. Her parents lived right down the street from Highland Elementary School. She was allowed to walk to school alone and that morning she never made it to kindergarten.  Two days after she was kidnapped, an Army Criminal Investigation Division investor stumbled on her deceased body while looking for illegal marijuana grow.

Seaside Police Chief Nicholas Borges calls it very usual for a child to be abducted and nobody to see a thing. He’s hoping someone can help and find the missing link to Pham’s case.

“Whoever is responsible for this is a monster,” said Chief Borges.

Pham’s family never saw justice for the heinous crime. Despite local and federal authorities working hard to find Anne’s killer, they could never determine a definitive suspect.

Despite the case being cold for 40-years there is renewed hope.

The Seaside Police Department is working with the Monterey County Cold Case Task Force and reexamining every bit of evidence and leads.

Just a few weeks ago the U.S. Department of Justice awarded the Task Force, which was formed in 2020, with a $535,000 grant to the support the unit’s forensic testing.

Monterey County Deputy District Attorney Matthew L’ Heureux tells KION any DNA collected and stored properly can last for decades.

“We’re finding cases that have potential DNA evidence and we’re starting to go through it sending it off to labs to see what can be done,” said L’Heureux.

We'll hear more on this case in a special report tonight from KION's Veronica Macias at 5 and 6 p.m. on KION Newschannel 5/46.