Roy Delong: Key Witness In Corona Case Dies After Fight
In researching the Juan Corona case, there have been a few key players who've really sparked my interest. One is a key witness, Roy Delong. Roy was described by the media as a 52-year-old transient laborer from Nebraska who was friends with some of the victims. Walter Taylor was arrested in the death of Delong but was later released post-autopsy.
Desert Sun, Volume 45, Number 89, 16 November 1971
Key Witness In Corona Case Dies After Fight
MARYSVILLE (UPI) - "A key witness in the Juan Corona mas murder case died today of injuries suffered in a fight at a skid row hotel.
He was Roy Delong, 53, a laborer who told authorities he saw one of the 25 victims, Sigrid Beierman, 63. get into a vehicle driven by Corona, a 37-year-old farm labor contractor from neighboring Yuba City.
Police said Delong fought Oct. 30 with Walter Taylor, 37, a room clerk at the Golden West Hotel where Delonglived. Delong was hospitalized with head and face injuries Nov. 1.
Taylor is being held on manslaughter charges.
Police said they believed there was no connection between the fight and the Corona case. They said there had been some “name-calling” prior to the fight.
Corona is in custody in Yuba City while his attorney is appealing a Sutter County court decision turning down a defense attempt to have the trial moved to a metropolitan area.
Delong was one of the few persons whom authorities said could directly link Corona with one of the victims.
Delong was held in jail for a short time as a material witness and he testified before the Sutter County Grand Jury which indicted Corona.
Corona’s trial has been delayed indefinitely pending appeals.
The Mexican-born father of four is accused of hacking to death the 25 itinerant farm workers and burying them in peach and plum orchards along the banks of the Feather River north of Yuba City"
San Bernardino Sun, 17 November 1971
San Bernardino Sun, 18 November 1971
Man Held in Corona Witness Death Freed
"MARYSVILLE (UPI) - A man arrested as a suspect in the death of a key prosecution witness in the Juan Corona mass murder case was freed from jail yesterday.
Walter Taylor, 37, was released after an autopsy showed that the death of Roy Delong resulted from a heart attack unrelated to injuries be received in a fight Oct. 30 with Taylor.
Delong, a 53-year-old itinerant laborer whom authorities said was one of the few persons linking Corona with one of the 25 murder victims, died Tuesday at a hospital. He was hospitalized the day after the fight with head and face injuries.
Corona, a Yuba Cily farm labor contractor, is charged with hacking to death 25 itinerant farm workers and burying ' them in fruit orchards along the banks of the Feather River north of here. He is in custody in nearby Yuba City awaiting trial."
Some background on Roy Delong, and who he was to the case.
Santa Cruz Sentinel, Volume 116, Number 127, 1 June 1971
"Whiteaker refused to comment on a theory that the murderer might have dug each grave before selecting a victim and that if none was found returned to fill in the hole to avoid arousing suspicion.
Whiteaker said Roy Delong, 52, of Marysville had been taken into protective custody but declined to say why. Deputies believe he is one of the last persons to see Sigurd E. Beierman, one of the victims before his body was found in the 19th grave.
Delong told Marysville police May 4 that the last time he saw Beierman was about two months earlier, getting into Corona's van."
Desert Sun, Volume 45, Number 89, 16 November 1971
Key Witness In Corona Case Dies After Fight
MARYSVILLE (UPI) - "A key witness in the Juan Corona mas murder case died today of injuries suffered in a fight at a skid row hotel.
He was Roy Delong, 53, a laborer who told authorities he saw one of the 25 victims, Sigrid Beierman, 63. get into a vehicle driven by Corona, a 37-year-old farm labor contractor from neighboring Yuba City.
Police said Delong fought Oct. 30 with Walter Taylor, 37, a room clerk at the Golden West Hotel where Delonglived. Delong was hospitalized with head and face injuries Nov. 1.
Taylor is being held on manslaughter charges.
Police said they believed there was no connection between the fight and the Corona case. They said there had been some “name-calling” prior to the fight.
Corona is in custody in Yuba City while his attorney is appealing a Sutter County court decision turning down a defense attempt to have the trial moved to a metropolitan area.
Delong was one of the few persons whom authorities said could directly link Corona with one of the victims.
Delong was held in jail for a short time as a material witness and he testified before the Sutter County Grand Jury which indicted Corona.
Corona’s trial has been delayed indefinitely pending appeals.
The Mexican-born father of four is accused of hacking to death the 25 itinerant farm workers and burying them in peach and plum orchards along the banks of the Feather River north of Yuba City"
San Bernardino Sun, 17 November 1971
San Bernardino Sun, 18 November 1971
Man Held in Corona Witness Death Freed
"MARYSVILLE (UPI) - A man arrested as a suspect in the death of a key prosecution witness in the Juan Corona mass murder case was freed from jail yesterday.
Walter Taylor, 37, was released after an autopsy showed that the death of Roy Delong resulted from a heart attack unrelated to injuries be received in a fight Oct. 30 with Taylor.
Delong, a 53-year-old itinerant laborer whom authorities said was one of the few persons linking Corona with one of the 25 murder victims, died Tuesday at a hospital. He was hospitalized the day after the fight with head and face injuries.
Corona, a Yuba Cily farm labor contractor, is charged with hacking to death 25 itinerant farm workers and burying ' them in fruit orchards along the banks of the Feather River north of here. He is in custody in nearby Yuba City awaiting trial."
Some background on Roy Delong, and who he was to the case.
Santa Cruz Sentinel, Volume 116, Number 127, 1 June 1971
"Whiteaker refused to comment on a theory that the murderer might have dug each grave before selecting a victim and that if none was found returned to fill in the hole to avoid arousing suspicion.
Whiteaker said Roy Delong, 52, of Marysville had been taken into protective custody but declined to say why. Deputies believe he is one of the last persons to see Sigurd E. Beierman, one of the victims before his body was found in the 19th grave.
Delong told Marysville police May 4 that the last time he saw Beierman was about two months earlier, getting into Corona's van."
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