Richard Lynn Ricky Cowles Jr., 21, was found dead in his Lancaster, California, apartment on August 12, 1997. His girlfriend, Amy Preasmyer, then 16 and 15 weeks pregnant, discovered him around 10 PM lying unresponsive in the master bedroom with a gunshot wound to the head. Investigators determined Ricky had been shot at close range and there were no signs of forced entry or robbery.

The case later developed into an accusation that the killing was arranged from inside Ricky’s circle. Prosecutors allege Amy solicited William Billy Hoffman to kill Ricky because she resented becoming pregnant and blamed him. The indictment describes a plan involving their friend Jennifer Kellogg and says Hoffman ambushed Ricky, beat him with a claw hammer, then shot him in the head.

Multiple people were brought into the case under different charges. At the time of these reports, the investigation and prosecutions were ongoing and several defendants faced trial or sentencing. Does anyone have information about Ricky, Amy, Billy, Jennifer, or that neighborhood in 1997 that could shed more light on the case?