Timeline: Wilbur Wade Atcherley’s Life and Criminal History

Timeline: Wilbur Wade Atcherley’s Life and Criminal History

Convicted Murderer: Wilbur Wade Atcherley

DOB: Based on his listed ages in newspaper reports, he appears to be born sometime between July 19, 1959, and May 24, 1960.

I came across the life and times of Wilbur Wade Atcherley while researching the case of missing person Sylvia Ann Lee. Atcherley admitted to abducting her and murdering her in 1995. With other abductions in his criminal history, I decided that I would track his whereabouts to have a look at missing people in the areas that he lived. This page will be a work in progress.

Disclaimer: efforts will be made to ensure that I am not dealing with two or more individuals with the same name but it can be hard to authenticate that for certain.

Potential Addresses: Ancestry Research

Someone's historical addresses can show up on Ancestry. Honestly, when I look at addresses for someone, it's difficult to know exactly why an address shows up associated with someone's name. Are the addresses generated by bills, mail, employment, or other records?

Whatever the case, I decided to list all the addresses that were associated with Atcherley at Ancestry except for one from 2008. He was incarcerated at that time. He was frequently called a "Morgan Hill man" in newspaper media, adding credibility to that address. But all the addresses below are just food for thought.

Address	City	State	Postal Code	Years
2712 Plummer Ave	San Jose	CA	95125	1988-2008
1505 Placer Ave	Modesto	CA	95358-5937	1992-2008
2327 Chester Ln	Bakersfield	CA	93304-1987	1993
3106 Capewood Ln	San Jose	CA	95132-1210	1993
360 N 5th St	San Jose	CA	95112-5258	1996
16935 Del Monte Ave Apt 174 Incarcerated in 1999.	Morgan Hill	CA	95037	1999-2005

Ancestry Addresses.

• January 18, 1961: Same-name match in Ancestry. Possibly born in Rockfish, Cumberland, North Carolina, to Samuel L. Atcherley Jr. (unconfirmed; public records list this date and father, but others suggest January or September 1960). But my calculated birthdate range for Atcherley does not include this date, so it might be a different person by the same name (July 19, 1959, and May 24, 1960).

Possibly not the same Wilbur Wade Atcherley.

• June 28th, 1978 at 10:20pm: Allegedly robbed someone on North Spring Street, Susanville, California. Arrested just after midnight (so early June 29th, 1978) outside the city limits. He had a vehicle and was called transient. He was also called 18 years old in a June 30th, 1978 publication (Lassen Advocate). That would create a birthdate range of July 1st, 1959 to June 30th, 1960.

• July 7th, 1978 at 9AM: Was scheduled for court alongside David Michael Blake in Susanville, California, which is inland and close to Nevada (scheduled only, date may have changed)
• BIG GAP
• January 7, 1981: May have married in San Diego, CA .
• BIG GAP: I think he was probably in San Diego during this time.
• January 15th, 1984: He is likely in the San Diego, California area.

Chula Vista Star News. January 15th, 1984.

• August 17th/18th, 1984: Is described as having a San Diego apartment. Alleged to have beaten and raped an 18-year old there.
• August 20th, 1984: Arrested in the San Diego area.
• August 26th, 1984: San Diego area, attempted or did kidnap a woman and her daughter; name is listed as Wilbur "Lance" Atcherley.

Chula Vista Star-News. August 30th, 1984.

• Early September 1984: Appears in court in the San Diego area on sex charges. Nickname "Lance" associated with him. Numerous crimes are alleged against him at this point, including kidnapping a male, a woman and her daughter, and a former girlfriend.

September 9th, 1984. Chula-Vista Star News.

• BIG GAP: Possibly in prison during this time from charges stemming from the 1984 actions.
• October 31, 1995 (Tuesday): Visits Campbell Police Department to register as a sex offender (CBS San Francisco). Later that day, abducts, sexually assaults, and murders 17-year-old Sylvia Ann Lee in New Almaden, dumping her body in a creek, possibly Alamitos Creek. Called a new resident of Campbell, in the San Jose area, as of this date.
• May 23rd, 1999: Arrested in Phoenix, Arizona area. Called 39 years old in May 24th, 1999 edition of the San Francisco Chronicle. That would make his birthdate range May 25th, 1959 to May 24th, 1960. Also associated with the Gilroy area at this time.

• July 16th, 1999: Returned to Santa Clara County but in custody. I don't think he is out of custody again after this point. Described as 39 years old in July 18th, 1999 edition of the San Francisco Chronicle.
• October 31, 2000 (Tuesday): From prison, contacts authorities on the fifth anniversary of Sylvia Lee’s disappearance; confesses to her murder, providing details only the killer would know.
• 2000: Convicted of possessing a weapon in prison; additional 25 years added to sentence (total now 61 years to life).
• 2008: Possibly resided in Evans, Colorado (4321 Wapiti Way, 80620), based on public records (unconfirmed; conflicts with incarceration).
• 2011: Pleads guilty to Sylvia Lee’s murder; sentenced to additional 15 years to life (total: 76 years to life). Leads police to disposal site in Alamitos Creek, New Almaden, but no remains found (Patch.com).
• 2025 (Ongoing): Incarcerated at Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility, San Diego, CA (CDCR #P97813) (InmateAid).

Sources: CBS San Francisco, Patch.com, InmateAid, and public records from Ancestry.com.
For case details, visit NamUs #MP4574.