The cold case murder of Michael Hunter - Emeryville, California - February 24, 1992
At 8:33 p.m. on Monday evening, February 24, 1992, a swaying and weaving motorcyclist arrived at a gas station in Emeryville, California. When the rider came to a stop, he fell from his motorcycle to the ground and became unconscious. Witnesses alerted emergency services, and paramedics were soon on the scene. There they attempted to rivive the unknown man, while perplexed by the apparent lack of injuries or blood.
The motorcyclist was carefully but rushed to hospital where doctors examined him thoroughly. In doing so, they discovered that the man had three bullet wounds of a small caliber. One of the bullets lodged in his abdomen, the second shattered his knee, and the third hit his aorta. The man died shortly after his arrival at the hospital. It turned out to be 30-year-old Michael Hunter.
Michael Hunter was a motorcycle passionist who had competed in hundreds of races throughout the 1980s. He owned a Honda Interceptor and was a member of The AFM (American Federation of Motorcyclists), the oldest racing organization in the country dedicated solely to motorcycle racing. According to his mother, there was nothing more exciting in his life than motorcycle racing. It was the ultimate kick for him.
Police Investigation
The police immediately started the investigation, in which they tried to map his life in hopes of a motive for the murder. But the latter turned out to be a difficult task... Michael was someone who, as far as the police were aware, had no enemies, and they found no one who had a reason to kill him. A timeline was made of his evening, with Michael hopping on his Honda at 7:45 p.m. for what seemed like a fun ride.
His first stop was an ATM, where he took out $20. The police carefully examined the surveillance photos of the ATM's security camera, but found nothing out of the ordinary.
Half a block away, Michael stopped at a liquor store to buy a pint of whiskey. It is unknown what exactly he did after this purchase, and the police could only speculate. They followed his possible route to a road about three miles from the gas station where his ride had come to an end. The spot was famous for its beautiful view of the Bay Bridge in San Francisco.
Although the police were not sure, they suspected that his killer(s) struck at that vantage point, robbing him of his wallet at gunpoint, after which they demanded his motorcycle. But because Michael would never give up his bike, the police believe he tried to escape from his robbers, after which they shot at him. In another scenario, Michael would have witnessed something he shouldn't have seen.
The police were unable to solve the case, after which Michael's family offered $ 10,000 for information that would lead to the killer(s).
Information and Tips
Online, amateur sleuths question whether Michael might have had a date at the lookout, or whether his killer was a rival from the racing world. Or had someone followed him after withdrawing the money? After all, the images of the ATM showed a car behind him. Either way, they are questions that cry out for answers. There must be someone out there who knows more about Michael's murder. Is that you? Do you know more? Please let us know now. Don't hesitate and get in touch (anonymously) using the form below.
This goes without the interference of the police, and entirely through our editors. If you would like to remain anonymous, do not enter your name and e-mail address. We ensure that your information ends up in the right place with the appropriate cold case team.
Please share this page and follow us on Facebook