Update on the Kevin Collins Cold Case Investigation

On Wednesday, February 6, 2013, Chief Greg Suhr held a press conference at the Hall of Justice to provide an update on the 29 year old investigation of Kevin Collins who disappeared from a San Francisco street on February 10, 1984.

In late 2012, San Francisco Police Cold Case Inspectors began reviewing this case with the intent of providing a fresh look at the case with new sets of eyes. During this review, Inspectors obtained additional information about a person of interest, identified as Wayne Jackson of San Francisco. Jackson used various names throughout his life and died in 2008 under the name of Dan Leonard Therrien.

The Cold Case Investigative Team developed new information about Jackson that, along with information developed during the initial investigation, provided grounds for a search warrant of Jackson’s place of residence during 1984. On the morning of January 29, 2013 the San Francisco Police Department, assisted by the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, served a search warrant at a residence on the 1100 block of Masonic Avenue.

The Alameda Sheriff’s Office deployed cadaver dogs which independently indicated the presence of possible remains under the concrete floor of the garage. An area of the garage was excavated and several small bones were located. The San Francisco Medical Examiner's Office responded to the scene and assumed custody of the bones. A preliminary assessment of the bones indicated that they are from an animal and not human in origin. However, further analysis of the bones is necessary.

The Collins Family has been in touch with members of the San Francisco Police Department over the course of this portion of the investigation. This is an ongoing investigation and the search warrant remains under seal.

The San Francisco Police Department is releasing this information today in the hopes of learning more about Jackson’s whereabouts and activities around the time that Kevin Collins went missing.

Anyone with information on this matter is asked to contact the SFPD Major Crimes Unit / Homicide Detail at (415) 553-1145. Information can be given anonymously at (415) 575-4444, or Text a Tip to: TIP411 and begin the message with SFPD.