The State - News from Jan. 25, 1988

Authorities say the disappearance of two key witnesses has prevented them from resolving a murder case involving a Sacramento man whose headless body was found last November in a remote area near Antioch. Contra Costa County and Sacramento officers arrested a 42-year-old Antioch man in the death of Christopher Loretto, 29, but were forced to release him when two key witnesses failed to show up for a preliminary hearing in Pittsburg on Jan. 13. Authorities also dropped accessory to murder charges against a Sacramento woman because of a lack of evidence. Police believe Loretto was killed because of a drug dispute. “We’re in the second inning of a two-inning ball game,” said Deputy Contra Costa County Dist. Atty. Matt Guichard. “We only have one more chance to file (charges against the Antioch man) under the law. We have to round up our witnesses and then we could refile the charges. But for right now, there’s nothing we can do.”