Finding aid for the People vs. Duncan transcripts MVC057
Finding aid prepared by Krystell Jimenez, 2020.
This finding aid was made possible in part through funding from the County of Ventura and the Heritage Fund at the Ventura
County Community Foundation.
Museum of Ventura County
September 2020
Language of Material:
English
Contributing Institution:
Museum of Ventura County
Title: People vs. Duncan transcripts
creator:
Ventura County Superior Court.
Identifier/Call Number: MVC057
Physical Description:
2.57 Cubic Feet
(2 cartons)
Date (inclusive): 1958-1959
Abstract: The People v. Elizabeth Duncan trial was heard at the Superior Court of California in Ventura County regarding the murder
of Olga Duncan by Augustine Baldonado and Luis Estrada Moya at the behest of Olga Duncan's mother-in-law, Elizabeth Ann Duncan.
All three were tried for the murder, convicted, and in August 1959 executed for the murder. Duncan's motive is thought to
have been jealousy over her son's marriage and the trial attracted national attention. Moya and Baldonado confessed, led police
to Olga's body, and implicated Duncan in the murder. All three were convicted and later executed at San Quentin prison on
August 8, 1962. Duncan was the last woman to be executed in the state of California. This collection consists of a copy of
the official case reporter for the People vs. Duncan, Estrada Moya and Baldonado. The transcripts are dated from December
30, 1958 through April 28, 1959.
Language of Material: Materials are in English.
Physical Location: Stored off-site and advance notice required for timely retrieval. Please contact the Research Library reference desk prior
to your visit.
COLLECTION STORED OFF-SITE: Open for research. This collection has been minimally processed. All requests to access materials
must be made in advance by contacting the Research Library staff via email: library@venturamuseum.org
Conditions Governing Reproduction and Use
Property rights to the physical object belong to the Museum of Ventura County. Literary rights, including copyright, are retained
by the creators and their heirs. It is the responsibility of the researcher to determine who holds the copyright and pursue
the copyright owner or his or her heir for permission to publish where the museum does not hold the copyright.
[Identification of item], People vs. Duncan transcripts, (MVC057]), Museum of Ventura County, Research Library, Ventura, California.
Provenance/Source of Acquisition
Superior Court of California - Ventura County; gift, 1999.
Processed by Krystell Jimenez, 2020.
The People v. Elizabeth Duncan trial was heard at the Superior Court of California in Ventura County regarding the murder
of Olga Duncan by Augustine Baldonado and Luis Estrada Moya at the behest of Olga Duncan's mother-in-law, Elizabeth Ann Duncan.
All three were tried for the murder, convicted, and in August 1959 executed for the murder.
Elizabeth Duncan, 54, introduced her son, Frank, to Olga while receiving care at Santa Barbara's Cottage Hospital. Frank and
Olga later married. Duncan was very jealous of her son, and Frank, who lived with his mother, did not initially tell her that
they had married in June 1958. At one point Duncan impersonated Olga and hired someone to impersonate Frank in order to get
the marriage annulled. Upon learning that Olga was pregnant, Duncan looked for someone to kill her daughter-in-law.
She met with Baldonado and Moya, who were from Ventura County, and offered them $6,000 to kill Olga although she never intended
to pay them. On November 17, 1958, Baldonado and Moya lured Olga from her Santa Barbara apartment into their car by telling
her that Frank was passed out drunk in their car. The two men kidnapped and buried Olga along Highway 150 in Ventura County
near Casitas Pass. There was evidence that suggested she may have been alive when they buried her.
As Duncan was unable to pay the two men, she went to the Santa Barbara Police Department to report them for extortion. She
later attempted to drop the charges. After speaking with Moya and Baldonado the police discovered enough evidence to arrest
Moya and Baldonado for Olga's murder. They confessed and led police to Olga's grave and implicated Duncan in the murder.
The trial drew national attention and is often known as the Ma Duncan case. Duncan was the last woman to be executed in the
state of California. Frank stood by his mother throughout the entire trial, which was the subject of much speculation and
rumors regarding the nature of their relationship. Both Maldonado and Moya confessed and testified against Duncan without
receiving a plea deal. All three were executed in San Quentin prison on August 8, 1962.
This collection consists of a copy of the official case reporter for the People vs. Duncan, Estrada Moya and Baldonado. The
transcripts are dated from December 30, 1958 through April 28, 1959. The clerk's supplemental transcripts on appeal for Elizabeth
Duncan and Luis Estrada Moya are appended at the end. The transcripts include copies of photographs and documents presented
during the trial.
Original order has been maintained. The records are primarily in chronological order, with supplemental clerk transcripts
for Elizabeth Ann Duncan and Luis Estrada Moya added at the end.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Trial transcripts -- California -- Ventura County
Murder -- California -- Ventura County
Duncan, Elizabeth Anne, 1904-1962
Baldonado, Augustine, 1933-1962
Moya, Luis Estrada, 1938-1962
Box 1
Box 2
Reporter's transcript and supplemental materials 1958 December 30 - 1959 April 29