Howard Michael King III, 35, was shot to death on November 27, 1984, on Roberts Island, California. He and his companion Paul Raymond Cavanaugh were found in their car on a remote road; reports say Shermantine shot King while King was seated behind the wheel and then dragged Cavanaugh from the passenger side and shot him at point-blank range. Tire tracks at the scene were matched to Shermantine’s vehicle.

King’s killing is described as one of a series of murders attributed to Loren Herzog and Wesley Shermantine, a pattern investigators linked to methamphetamine addiction and escalating violence. Shermantine was later convicted in connection with multiple killings, including King and Cavanaugh, and sentenced to death; Herzog’s convictions were at one point overturned and he ultimately accepted a plea that resulted in a reduced sentence and later parole.

Does anyone have memories of Roberts Island in late 1984 or information about King’s life and connections that could add context to his case?