zirovsky

Sharron Eugene Gadlin, 50, of Gardena, Los Angeles County, California, United States is accused of killing Cheri-Lynn Friedman Huss of Desert Hot Springs, Riverside County, California on April 24, 1994. She was 39.

In 1972, Huss graduated from James Monroe High School in North Hills, California. She and her former husband welcomed their first child in 1980, their second child in 1981 and their third child in 1986.

Recently divorced, Huss lived alone in a two-bedroom apartment on Palma Drive in Desert Hot Springs. She previously lived in other parts of California including Cathedral City, Palm Springs and Tarzana.

On the evening of April 23, 1994, Huss left her parents a disturbing message. The parents live in San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles County, California.

Huss sounded desperate, saying someone had been taking photos of her, according to her mother Ruth Friedman. That evening, Huss’s three children were staying at their father’s house in Cathedral City.

At around 9:30 a.m. on April 24, 1994, Huss was found by her parents lying on the floor of her apartment in Desert Hot Springs. She was partially nude and there were bite marks and multiple stab wounds on her body.

Investigators found evidence of a struggle but found no signs of forced entry in the apartment, according to Riverside County Sheriff’s Office sergeant John Sebastian. He said the apartment had been in disorder because Huss had been painting cabinets.

The front door of the apartment was unlocked, the lights on the front porch were on and Huss’s white Plymouth was parked on the street. She fought off her attacker so the attacker left blood in the crime scene.

On February 14, 2022, forensic genetic genealogy led the Riverside County Regional Cold Case Team to develop Gadlin as a person of interest in the case involving Huss’s murder. Investigators received a warrant to obtain a saliva sample from him.

On February 18, 2022, investigators received confirmation from the California Department of Justice crime laboratory that Gadlin’s saliva matched the DNA profile of Huss’s killer. On March 4, 2022, he was arrested.

On August 15, 2023, a grand jury indicted Gadlin on numerous counts including murder and attempted rape. He pleaded not guilty to all charges.