Photo of Donald Clark courtesy of Stockton PD
STOCKTON, CA — The Stockton Police Department has announced an arrest in a 1994 Cold Case Homicide involving the deaths of two men over three decades ago. On April 22, 2026, authorities took 80-year-old Donald Lee Clark into custody in connection with the investigation.
The original incident occurred on May 23, 1994. At approximately 3:00 a.m., officers responded to the 10000 block of Thornton Road following reports of an assault. Upon arrival, police discovered two deceased victims, identified as Eugene Cates and Lawrence Loehr. Although investigators interviewed numerous individuals and submitted physical evidence for analysis at the time, the case eventually went cold as no suspect was identified.
The recent breakthrough in this 1994 Cold Case Homicide resulted from a collaborative effort between Stockton Police Department Cold Case detectives, the San Joaquin County Cold Case Task Force, and the California Department of Justice Bureau of Forensic Services. According to officials, the team built upon the work of previous investigators through renewed forensic and investigative efforts.
These actions led to the identification of Clark, a Stockton resident, as the primary suspect. Members of the United States Marshals Fugitive Task Force located Clark and transitioned him to the San Joaquin County Jail. He has been booked on two counts of homicide. The investigation remains part of an ongoing effort by local and state agencies to resolve historical cases through modern forensic technology.
