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A Nevada man has been sentenced to life in prison for the decades-old murder of 5-year-old Anne Pham, who was abducted, sexually assaulted, and strangled to death in 1982.

The Monterey County District Attorney’s Office announced on March 20 that Robert Lanoue, now 72, received a sentence of 25 years to life, with an additional 31 years.

Lanoue pleaded guilty in February to first-degree murder, kidnapping, committing a forcible lewd act on a child under 14, forcible rape, and forcible sodomy. He is also required to register as a sex offender for life.

Disappearance and Murder of Anne Pham

On January 21, 1982, Anne Pham disappeared while walking to her kindergarten class at Highland Elementary School in Seaside, California.

Her mother usually walked her to school, but shortly before her disappearance, Pham told her, "Stay home, Mom. I can walk by myself." Sadly, she was "never seen alive again."

Two days later, authorities discovered Pham’s body. An autopsy confirmed that she had been sexually assaulted and strangled. Despite an initial investigation, no arrests were made, and the case remained unsolved for 40 years.

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Breakthrough in the Cold Case

In 2020, the Monterey County Cold Case Task Force collaborated with the Seaside Police Department to reopen Pham’s case and submit evidence for DNA testing. Investigators analyzed a rootless pubic hair found on Pham’s remains and identified Lanoue as a potential match.

Astrea Forensics of Santa Cruz conducted whole-genome sequencing on the hair, creating a DNA profile that was used to search genetic genealogical databases. A forensic genetic genealogist with Parabon NanoLabs identified "Lanoue" as a possible last name for the suspect. Further investigation confirmed Robert John Lanoue as the likely perpetrator.

Connection to the Victim

At the time of Pham’s murder, Lanoue was 29 years old and stationed at Fort Ord, near where Pham’s body was found. He lived close to her family’s home, and one of his children attended the same school as Pham. However, investigators do not believe their families were acquainted.

By the time he was identified as a suspect, Lanoue was already a registered sex offender in Nevada due to three convictions in 1998.

Lanoue’s Confession

During a July 2022 interview, Lanoue admitted to picking up Pham while she was walking to school but claimed he did not "remember killing her." Prosecutors stated that he "acknowledged that he may have blocked it out of his memory to protect himself." Additionally, Lanoue admitted to "having a history of sexually assaulting young girls."