Investigators in Hernando County, Florida, have resumed searching a property for potential additional victims connected to convicted serial killer Billy Mansfield. The search began on June 24, 2026, involving personnel from the Hernando County Sheriff's Office, the FBI, and the State Attorney's Office, following alerts from cadaver dogs during a prior investigation. Authorities are excavating an area at Dry Creek Ranch, which is linked to Mansfield's family, where four bodies were discovered in the early 1980s.
Sheriff Al Nienhuis stated that previous investigations indicated Mansfield and his brother had traveled to California in the late 1970s and were involved in a homicide case there. This led to a search warrant for the Mansfield family property. While two victims were quickly identified, a third was identified later, and authorities are now utilizing genetic genealogy to potentially identify the remaining victim and locate relatives.
Authorities suspect there may be more victims, as Mansfield had previously suggested additional bodies could be found in Hernando, Pasco, and Pinellas counties. The sheriff's office reopened the investigation approximately three years ago, reviewing case files and interviewing Mansfield with federal and state assistance. Although previous excavations did not yield human remains, the latest search at Dry Creek Ranch has prompted further digging based on cadaver dog alerts.
Nienhuis expressed cautious optimism about the search's potential outcomes, although he noted that future prosecutions are unlikely due to the case's age. The investigation aims to provide closure to families who have been seeking answers regarding their missing loved ones. Mansfield, who confessed to the murder of an Ohio teenager last year, is currently serving multiple life sentences for the murders of five women and girls between 1975 and 1980.