Riverside Man Sentenced To Prison For 1986 Cold Case Murder Of Woman

SAN BERNARDINO (CBSLA.com) — A Riverside man was sentenced to prison on Friday for the murder of a 28-year-old woman who went missing in 1986.

According to the San Bernardino County District Attorney's Office, Larry Hite, 59, was ordered to spend 25 years to life in state prison for the murder of Nancy Klinger.

Hite was also instructed to pay $10,000 in restitution to the Victim-Witness Assistance Program.

On Aug. 29, 1986, Klinger left her three children with a babysitter in order to meet with Hite.

Authorities explained the two met while Klinger worked at a bar in Riverside. Hite told her he worked as an undercover investigator for the Sheriff's Department.

"He said he was going to bust a black market baby ring and she could assist him by posing as his wife undercover," explained Deputy District Attorney Denise Yoakum. "He promised her she woudl get paid for the job."

"He had also identified himself as an undercover officer to others, even showing a badge," Yoakum added.

However, Hite was never employed by any law enforcement agency.

Klinger never returned after dropping her children off that evening.

According to the district attorney's office, Klinger's skeletal remains were found nearly two years later, in a dirt field located in East Highland.

Authorities used dental records dating back to 1986 to identify her remains.

Her cause of death was not determined due to decomposition.

During a preliminary investigation, detectives focused on Hite as a lead suspect, but were unable to link him to Klinger's death.

Shortly after the investigation began, Hite relocated to Arizona where he was convicted for assaulting two other women. Following his release from prison, he moved to Riverside.

In 2009, investigators reopened Klinger's case, and began conducting follow-up interviews with Hite.

He eventually gave a confession, which linked him to the murder.

In July, Hite was found guilty of killing Klinger.