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Disappearance of Walter Collins

COLD1928Los Angeles, California, United States3 SOURCESUPDATED JUL 2026
File:Christine Collins.png
File:Christine Collins.png — Credit: Unknown author Unknown author · Public domain

On March 10, 1928, Walter Conrad Collins, a 9-year-old boy living in Los Angeles, California, disappeared after his mother, Christine Collins, gave him money to go to a movie theater. Walter's father, Walter Joseph Collins, was in prison at the time. The disappearance drew nationwide attention, and the Los Angeles Police Department investigated hundreds of leads without success, facing mounting negative publicity and public pressure to resolve the case.

Five months later, a boy claiming to be Walter was located in DeKalb, Illinois. After an exchange of letters and photographs, Christine Collins paid to have the boy brought to Los Angeles. At their reunion, she stated the boy was not her son. Captain J. J. Jones, the officer overseeing the case, pressed her to take the boy home on a trial basis. She returned three weeks later maintaining he was not Walter. Despite presenting dental records and having supporting witnesses, Jones accused her of being an unfit mother and of embarrassing the police department. He had her involuntarily committed to the psychiatric ward of Los Angeles County Hospital under a "Code 12" order used to detain people considered inconvenient. Jones subsequently questioned the boy, who admitted he was 12-year-old Arthur Hutchens Jr., a runaway from Iowa who had impersonated Walter in hopes of meeting actor Tom Mix in Hollywood. Christine was not released until ten days after this confession. She later sued the LAPD and won a judgment of $10,800 against Jones, which he refused to pay, and which fueled public outrage and embarrassment for police chief James Davis.

In 1929, Gordon Stewart Northcott was convicted of abducting, molesting, and killing three young boys in what became known as the Wineville Chicken Coop murders. His mother, Sarah Louise Northcott, confessed in late 1928 to participating in the killings and stated that Walter Collins was among her son's victims; she was sentenced without trial to life imprisonment for her role in Walter's death. Prosecutors chose not to try Gordon for Walter's killing specifically, instead trying him for the three other murders for which forensic evidence existed; he was convicted of all three on February 13, 1929, and sentenced to death. Gordon denied killing Walter throughout, and Sarah later attempted to withdraw her confession, offering inconsistent statements. Christine Collins continued to believe her son might be alive despite Sarah's admission and corroborating testimony from Sanford Clark. She corresponded with Gordon Northcott and interviewed him shortly before his execution; he initially promised to reveal what happened to Walter but recanted and denied involvement. Christine continued searching for her son for the rest of her life, including further legal efforts to collect the money owed her by Jones, such as a 1941 Superior Court case over a $15,562 judgment. She died on December 8, 1964, less than a week before her 76th birthday.

Key facts

Victims
Walter Collins, Christine Collins
Date
1928
Location
Los Angeles, California, United States
Case status
cold

Case timeline

  1. 1918-09

    Walter Conrad Collins is born to Christine Collins and Walter Joseph Collins.

  2. 1928-03-10

    Walter Collins disappears in Los Angeles after leaving to go to a movie theater; he is last seen by his mother, Christine Collins.

  3. 1928-08

    A boy claiming to be Walter Collins is found in DeKalb, Illinois, roughly five months after the disappearance.

  4. 1928

    Christine Collins is committed to the psychiatric ward of Los Angeles County Hospital under a 'Code 12' order after insisting the returned boy is not her son.

  5. 1928

    The boy is identified as Arthur Hutchens Jr., a 12-year-old runaway from Iowa, who admits under questioning that he is not Walter Collins.

  6. 1928

    Sarah Louise Northcott confesses to participating in the murders and states that Walter Collins was among the victims; she is sentenced without trial to life imprisonment.

  7. 1929-02-13

    Gordon Stewart Northcott is found guilty of the murders of three other boys and sentenced to death.

  8. 1941-01-29

    Christine Collins pursues a Superior Court case attempting to collect a $15,562 judgment against Captain J. J. Jones.

  9. 1964-12-08

    Christine Collins dies, less than a week before her 76th birthday.

Best coverage

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People

  • Gordon Stewart Northcott

    CONVICTED

    Convicted in 1929 of murdering three boys in the Wineville Chicken Coop murders; investigators concluded he also killed Walter Collins, though he was not tried for that killing and denied it.

  • Walter Collins

    VICTIM

    9-year-old boy who disappeared in Los Angeles in 1928 and was later concluded to have been murdered by Gordon Stewart Northcott.

  • Christine Collins

    VICTIM

    Mother of Walter Collins; involuntarily committed to a psychiatric ward after disputing that a returned boy was her son, and later won a lawsuit against the LAPD.

  • J. J. Jones

    LAW ENFORCEMENT

    LAPD captain who oversaw the case, pressured Christine Collins to accept the impostor as her son, and had her committed; later found liable in a lawsuit brought by Christine Collins.

  • Arthur Hutchens Jr.

    CHARGED

    12-year-old runaway from Iowa who impersonated Walter Collins to reach Hollywood; admitted under police questioning that he was not Walter Collins.

  • Sarah Louise Northcott

    CONVICTED

    Confessed in late 1928 to participating in the murders, including Walter Collins's death, and was sentenced without trial to life imprisonment; she later attempted to rescind her confession.

Roles reflect public records and court outcomes at the time of writing — supporting citations are on file under Sources.

Archival records

  • File:Christine Collins.png

    portrait victim

    File:Christine Collins.png

    Credit: Unknown author Unknown author · Public domain · Source

  • Gordon Northcott's ranch at Wineville (the Wineville Chicken Coop murder site where Walter Collins is believed to have been killed), c. 1928

    archival location

    Gordon Northcott's ranch at Wineville (the Wineville Chicken Coop murder site where Walter Collins is believed to have been killed), c. 1928

    Credit: Public domain · Source

Places

Los Angeles, California, United States

34.0522, -118.2437

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Common questions

What happened to the victim?
In 1928, 9-year-old Walter Collins vanished in Los Angeles after leaving home to go to a movie theater; investigators later concluded he was murdered by Gordon Stewart Northcott as part of the Wineville Chicken Coop murders.
Where did the disappearance happen?
Los Angeles, California, United States.
Who was convicted?
Gordon Stewart Northcott (Convicted in 1929 of murdering three boys in the Wineville Chicken Coop murders; investigators concluded he also killed Walter Collins, though he was not tried for that killing and denied it.) and Sarah Louise Northcott (Confessed in late 1928 to participating in the murders, including Walter Collins's death, and was sentenced without trial to life imprisonment; she later attempted to rescind her confession.).
What is the current status of the case?
Status: cold.
More cases in California

Sources

  1. ENCYCLOPEDICDisappearance of Walter CollinsWikipedia · 2026-07-07
  2. PRESSContemporaneous coverage — Los Angeles TimesLos Angeles Times · 2026-07-07
  3. PRESSContemporaneous coverage — pqasb.pqarchiver.compqasb.pqarchiver.com · 2026-07-07

Record history

First published
JUL 10, 2026