Man Convicted of Decades-Old Unsolved Murder in Daly City After DNA Evidence Links Him to Crime
A shocking breakthrough occurred in the case of a decades-old unsolved murder in Daly City, as DNA evidence has led to the conviction of a man previously imprisoned for kidnappings and sexual assaults dating back to the 1970s. Leon Melvin Seymour, now 77 years old, was found guilty of the 1976 killing of 21-year-old Denise Lempe, a case that remained unsolved for almost four decades. The verdict was announced by San Mateo County District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe’s office after a jury reached a decision following three hours of deliberations.
Denise Lempe’s tragic murder took place on April 1, 1976. She had left Macy’s at the Serramonte Center mall to meet a friend, but she never arrived. Her lifeless body, stabbed multiple times, was discovered inside her vehicle by a passerby. For years, this case remained a mystery until the sheriff’s forensic laboratory took a fresh look at the evidence, focusing on DNA samples obtained from another suspect. Remarkably, a bloodstain found on Lempe’s jacket was linked to Leon Melvin Seymour, leading to his arrest in 2017.
Authorities became aware of Seymour’s existence as he was housed in a state hospital, where he received treatment as a sexually violent predator. Prosecutors revealed that Seymour’s criminal history also included many other kidnappings and sexual assaults dating back to the 1970s, creating further concern during the investigation.
To place the significance of this conviction into a broader context, Denise Lempe’s murder was categorized as one of the infamous Gypsy Hill Murders – a series of unsolved homicides of young women and girls that occurred on the Peninsula in 1976. The name was derived from a road in Pacifica where one of the victims was found. It is worth noting that Rodney Halbower, who was serving time in an Oregon state prison for an unrelated attempted murder conviction, was arrested in 2015 in connection with two of the six Gypsy Hill homicides. However, authorities have not disclosed any links between Halbower and Leon Melvin Seymour.
During Seymour’s trial, the defendant was held at the San Mateo County Medical Center, with court proceedings conducted in three-hour daily sessions due to his disability. The case has been adjourned to December 1 for the receipt of the pre-sentence report and sentencing.
The conviction of Leon Melvin Seymour for the murder of Denise Lempe is a testament to the tireless efforts of law enforcement and advancements in forensic technology. This long-awaited resolution brings a sense of closure to Denise Lempe’s family and serves as a reminder that justice can prevail even after several decades.
