Sept. 9, 1959: A man and a woman are found shot in the head 400 feet off California 395, seven miles north of Adelanto. In the man's pocket is a letter so covered with blood that only one word is legible: "Love."

The couple were eventually identified as Richard L. Nowlen, an escaped convict, and Patricia Skene. Investigation determined that Nowlen and Skene planned to get married and had taken a trip with Sandra (Sondra) Ground Garner and Lawrence Garner as a combination wedding trip and expedition to plan forgeries. When asked why he killed Nowlen, Lawrence Garner said: "I did not like him. He was an arrogant character." He shot Skene in the back of the head as she embraced the dying man.

In May 1960, Sandra Garner was sentenced to life in prison for the killings. Lawrence Garner was executed in the gas chamber Sept. 4, 1962.