Witness Sought in Teen’s 1993 Death

It was four years ago today that their son, a Ventura High School football player, was stabbed to death while walking home.

Jesse Strobel’s parents are still waiting for his killer to be arrested.

It is not a murder mystery, said John Strobel, Jesse’s father.

Police and family members believe they know who did it. The problem is they can’t find anyone willing to come forward to testify.

“We’re hoping that it’s been long enough that someone might finally be willing to come forward,” said John Strobel, who still gets emotional when talking about his son.

Seventeen years old when he died, Jesse Strobel was stabbed to death as he walked from his father’s Seaward Avenue pizza parlor to his mother’s home above Ventura High School about 10:30 p.m. Jan. 29, 1993.

He bled to death on the front porch of a stranger’s home.

“I wish people could understand what it’s like knowing that your son’s killer is still walking the streets,” Strobel’s father said.

His mother, Claudia Moore, is optimistic that someone “with enough courage and love” will come forward.

But she feels conflicting emotions about what would happen next.

“To be honest, I don’t look forward to going to court and looking my son’s killer in the eye,” she said.

The frustrating case has touched police deeply, said Ventura Police Chief Richard Thomas. For a long time, a photo of Jesse hung in the station lobby, although it was removed during a recent remodeling project.

“It did touch me personally,” Thomas said. “It touched the detectives that worked on the case, because it was one of those senseless acts. This clearly was an innocent victim who was aspiring to be a productive adult and had his life snuffed out.”

Although investigators believe they know who killed the youth, they need someone to come forward.

“We need evidence to corroborate what we already have,” Thomas said. “An eyewitness would seal his fate.”

Anyone with any information on the crime is encouraged to call Det. Gary McCaskill at 339-4482.