Missing California Teen Found Dead, Partially Buried In Shallow Grave On Sonoma State University Campus

The search for a missing California teen, Kirk Kimberly, 18, comes to a poignant end when his body was found with multiple stab wounds, partially buried in a shallow grave on Sonoma State University campus in Rohnert Park, according to the ABC 7 News.

On Wednesday, November 2, Sonoma County sheriff’s officials say the body that was found by a landscaper, partially buried on Sonoma State University was missing teen of Cotati, who disappeared October 17 after he was last seen leaving his home on a white bicycle to meet an unnamed friend.

Authorities say due to the body’s state of decomposition, the recent Rancho Cotate High School graduate was recently buried on the college campus, and investigators are treating his death as a homicide as the “the pathologist was also able to determine the preliminary manner of death to be at the hands of another.”

Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Spencer Crum stated that “this is on the northwest side of campus, it’s a remote area of the campus. There’s no pathways or bike trails or classes being held out here, it’s not generally a populated area on the campus.”

Body found in shallow grave at Sonoma State @SSU_1961 ID'd by @sonomasheriff as missing 18yo Kirk Kimberly of Cotati. Death a homicide pic.twitter.com/Vql9jEqyM5

— Henry K. Lee (@henrykleeKTVU) November 4, 2016

Following the Cotati teen’s death, an investigation ensued where police later uncovered that the murder was not random and they believe it to be an “isolated incident” but details surrounding the teen’s death will not be released to the public as of yet.

“What we’ll end up doing is checking our missing person data base and matching up the physical description. Once we unearth this body, we can match up the physical description to those missing person reports,” Crum said before the body was identified as the missing Cotati. “They will go through basically every grain of dirt to collect hair fibers, hair samples, and clothing and do every little bit of trace evidence they can gather from the scene. It’s a very slow, methodical search, we’re going to ask for patience because it takes a long time.”

Sonoma State University students were stunned after learning a missing teen was found dead on campus, saying “I didn’t believe it at first.”

Student Matthew Parkinson added “But then I was like, why would someone say that? And it took a minute to settle in then I’m like, oh my gosh, there’s actually someone dead on campus. So, it’s just weird to comprehend that actually happened. You hear it on the news all the time, but you don’t really hear it 200 feet away from us.”

Kimberly’s friend, Gema Ramirez, was also shocked to uncover that the body found on campus was identified as her friend, who she remembers having a “really humble smile and bright eyes.”

Another student, Maddie Warnement, said “It’s scary to be alone, I walk near the creek that’s just out here all the time and there was a body found right here.”

18yo Kirk Kimberly, found in shallow grave at @SSU_1961 Sonoma State, was stabbed numerous times in "isolated incident," per @sonomasheriff pic.twitter.com/9yeWUy8p5Q

— Henry K. Lee (@henrykleeKTVU) November 5, 2016

Before the body was identified, Ramirez spent her days hoping it wasn’t her missing friend. When it was confirmed that the body belonged to Kimberly, she hoped that he wasn’t in any “pain before his death.”

Those who knew the victim stated that he was “a great, well-liked young man.”

Linda Williams, who is a friend of the victim’s family said “He was a very, very nice young man. I used to see him a lot around the neighborhood, and he would always smile and say hello, and chat and worked down there at Papa Murphy’s Pizza and everybody loved him.”

“I hope they find out what happened to him because it’s tragic for this city and street in particular.”

Sonoma County officers are asking students to stay away from the area where Kimberly’s body was found while an investigation ensues.

Anyone with information regarding Kimberly’s disappearance or his death are urged to contact Detective Horsman of the Sheriff’s Violent Crimes Unit at 707-565-2185.

[Featured Image By Kirk Kimberly/Facebook]