In an extraordinary development that has sent shockwaves through the true crime community, American investigators have finally put a name to the last known victim of the infamous 'Chameleon Killer', closing a chapter on one of the nation's most perplexing cold cases.
The victim, now identified as Lonnie Henry Thomas, had been known only as 'Buck' for five decades after his brutal murder in 1975. His case represents the final piece in the grim puzzle of a serial killer who terrorised multiple states.
The Breakthrough That Cracked the Case
Using cutting-edge forensic genealogy techniques that have revolutionised cold case investigations, authorities were able to trace Thomas's identity through distant relatives. This technological marvel has brought closure to a mystery that has baffled detectives since the disco era.
Thomas, just 21 years old when he met his tragic end, was discovered alongside three other victims in Cincinnati's Oklahoma Bar – an establishment that became the chilling centrepiece of this multi-state investigation.
The Chameleon Killer's Trail of Terror
The moniker 'Chameleon Killer' was born from the perpetrator's terrifying ability to blend into different communities while leaving a trail of victims across state lines. His spree finally ended when he was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment in 1977.
Despite his incarceration, the identity of his final victim remained one of America's most enduring criminal mysteries – until now.
A Family's Fifty-Year Wait for Answers
For Thomas's surviving relatives, the identification brings bittersweet closure after half a century of uncertainty. The emotional weight of this revelation cannot be overstated, representing both an end to wondering and the beginning of proper mourning.
Hamilton County Prosecutor Melissa Powers emotionally declared: "We have now identified and returned to their families all four victims from the Oklahoma Bar homicides."
This breakthrough stands as a testament to the relentless pursuit of justice and the incredible power of modern forensic science to rewrite history's most tragic chapters.
