Remains of 'Castleberry Kate' identified after nearly 40 years: Bullhead City detectives solve long-running homicide mystery

In a major breakthrough nearly four decades after skeletal remains were discovered in a vacant lot in Arizona, the Bullhead City Police Department has identified the victim through advanced DNA genealogy testing conducted by the DNA Doe Project. The young woman, known for decades as “Castleberry Kate” after her remains were found in 1989, has been positively identified as Sonya Alice Langan, marking a significant breakthrough in the long-unsolved homicide investigation.

On June 5, 2026, the Bullhead City Police Department, in a press release, announced that Langan was positively identified after decades of unsuccessful efforts to give the young woman a name. Police stated that the victim had long been known as “Castleberry Kate,” a nickname tied to the area where her remains were found.

When Was the Case First Reported?

The case came to light on May 15, 1989, when a construction crew discovered skeletal remains buried in a vacant lot on Castleberry Lane in Bullhead City. Investigators believed the victim was a female between 17 and 19 years old, according to the release.

“Evidence indicated she had been deceased for approximately two to ten years prior to the discovery. A bullet recovered from her skull confirmed the case as a homicide. Despite extensive investigative efforts over the years, the victim remained unidentified and the case went unsolved,” it further stated.

Funding for forensic genealogy testing granted

The Bullhead City Police Department said the breakthrough came after it was approached by the Mohave County Sheriff’s Office Special Investigations Unit in 2024 regarding the possibility of federal grant funding for forensic genealogy testing in the case.

“The grant was approved, allowing evidence from the case to be submitted to the DNA Doe Project. Investigative genetic genealogists were able to develop a 99% match identifying the victim as Sonya Langan in late 2025,” police said.

Sonya’s surviving relatives assist investigators

As part of the follow-up investigation, detectives contacted surviving relatives and learned that Sonya had never been officially reported missing to law enforcement. Family members said she was approximately 17 or 18 years old when she left home around 1982. Investigators also found that strained family relationships and long periods without contact were not unusual within the family, leading relatives to believe she had left voluntarily because she was unhappy at home.

Family members fully cooperated with the investigation and provided DNA samples to help confirm Sonya’s identity. In May 2026, authorities positively identified Sonya Langan as the victim in the cold-case homicide investigation. Relatives told investigators that Sonya dropped out of Kingman High School as a freshman in 1979 before the family moved to Bullhead City. They recalled living near River Glen Drive in Bullhead City and said Sonya worked at Burger King before leaving home.