Joni Tilman, 51, and her husband Harold Skip Tilman were last seen at their La Canada home on February 6, 2000, and were found dead in a shallow grave on February 9, 2000, near Yucaipa, California. A friend became concerned after Joni missed several appointments and discovered the house with valuables left untouched but the couple missing. Their bodies were located near Oak Glen Road and Fifth Street after a local man found the couple’s dog dead nearby; the graves had been pre-dug to about three to four feet deep.

Both victims died of strangulation. There was no sign of forced entry or a struggle inside the home, which, together with the graves being prepared in advance, has led investigators to consider that the couple may have been lured out by someone they knew. The investigation has struggled to produce a clear motive or suspects; reports note the Tilmans were involved in some legal disputes before their deaths. The case remains unsolved and is being treated as a cold case.

If anyone has information about the Tilmans, particularly their movements around February 6, 2000, contact the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department.