Polly Klaas' Abduction: A Chilling 32-Year-Old Cold Case That Shaped California

The abduction and murder of Polly Klaas, a 12-year-old girl from Petaluma, California, continues to resonate in the American psyche over three decades later. On October 1, 1993, Klaas was kidnapped from her home during a slumber party with two friends, while her mother and half-sister slept nearby.

The case sparked a nationwide search, with thousands of volunteers joining law enforcement in the effort to find Klaas. Actress Winona Ryder, who had been raised in Petaluma, became a vocal advocate, offering a $200,000 reward for Polly's safe return. Tragically, Klaas was found dead 65 days later, strangled by her abductor, ex-convict Richard Allen Davis.

Klaas' murder had a lasting impact, leading to the adoption of California's "three strikes" law, which imposed harsher sentences for repeat offenders like Davis. While California's governor placed a moratorium on executions in 2019, a judge rejected Davis' resentencing bid in 2024, keeping him on death row.

Polly's family continues to honor her memory, with her mother, Eve, saying they talk about her "probably every day." The Klaas family scattered Polly's ashes into the sea, ensuring her legacy lives on.