Solano Sheriff's Office identifies suspected drug dealer's body
Norman Edward Creech disappeared from his Sacramento apartment in 1983. His body turned up months later in a Solano County canal.
(Photo courtesy Solano County Sheriff’s Office)
A body that was discovered in a shallow canal in 1984 has been positively identified as a missing Sacramento man, the Solano County Sheriff’s Office announced in a press release today.
The agency said DNA testing helped them learn the body belonged to 26-year-old Norman Edward Creech, a suspected drug dealer who disappeared under mysterious circumstances in November 1983.
One friend who knew Creech told Solano NewsNet the man was known to deal marijuana from his Sacramento apartment, and he occasionally ripped off his customers.
The scam may have come to a head one November night when neighbors heard a large amount of yelling coming from Creech’s apartment. One neighbor told police they observed two people beating Creech, followed by a long period of silence.
Creech was not seen or heard from again, and police are still unsure how his body wound up in a Sacramento River channel in rural Solano County.
In a press release on Friday, the sheriff’s office offered up no details about Creech’s past life or the circumstances of his disappearance, other than to say the man “disappeared from his apartment…under suspicious circumstances.” When they found Creech’s body several months later, it was in “moderate stages of decomposition,” the sheriff’s office said.
The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office is handling the investigation, and a detective in Solano County is providing assistance on the case. Anyone with information about Creech’s disappearance is asked to contact Detective Charles Olmstead at 707-784-7055.
Correction: An earlier version of this story misidentified Creech’s age at the time of his disappearance. He was 26, not 38.
Connect with Solano NewsNet on Twitter and Facebook for breaking news updates.
We’re proud to produce independent news for Solano County. This newsletter is an all-volunteer effort. If you would like to show your appreciation, consider making a donation in any amount or signing up for a paid subscription.