SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Nearly 50 years after losing his family to a Sacramento serial killer, a man is searching for the plaque that keeps his brother's name and memory alive.
Vern Miroth’s mother, 6-year-old brother Jason, cousin and a family friend were murdered by Richard Trenton Chase, also known as the “Vampire Killer,” Jan. 27, 1978.
A plaque was created and put up at Cottage Elementary School to be displayed, reading “This tree planted in memory of Jason B Miroth” on an eight by 10 size bronze or brass metal.
But it’s gone missing and no one knows where it went.
Miroth, who was in school at the time of the killings, says he copes with the loss daily.
“It's almost kinda hard to remember him after all these years," said Miroth. “As we get closer to the 50th anniversary, it's been on my mind a lot lately for some reason. This plaque is certainly part of the healing process for sure."
He says he took the plaque home to clean it up in 2000 and took it back to the school to be displayed in 2016 but it’s not openly displayed.
"I think the plaque is there and it just got misplaced or put behind, stored behind somewhere,” said Miroth. “I would hope it'd be found. I just want the memory of my brother to be preserved."
The San Juan Unified School District says staff members have “searched the campus several times” and have yet to find the plaque.
Miroth is now asking anyone who may know where the plaque is to come forward with information.
“Just so my brother's name is remembered. I mean, it's not like he was nobody but he was somebody to me,” said Miroth. “It was originally intended to honor his memory, and It just don't sit well that it's just brushed away somewhere."
