On Tuesday, June 15, 1974, 21 year old Barry Kirk Pinder’s body was found beneath a picnic table near a campsite in MacKerricher State Park, approximately 3.4 miles outside Fort Bragg, CA. Pinder was from Maitland, Florida and Mendocino County Sheriff’s believe he had been staying in the San Diego area.

On Monday, June 14, 1974, Pinder entered the state park as a back packer and registered using his last name. He did not give an address where he was living at that time. His body was found at 9:00am on Tuesday morning by another guest of the park. He is believed to have been murdered some time Monday night or early Tuesday morning.

His body was found, sprawled, underneath a picnic table, his clothes still on. Around him and the area were empty beer cans and other litter. Pinder was beated severely around the head and face. His cause of death was blunt force trauma. A nearby piece of firewood is believed to possibly be the murder weapon. He was identified by Sheriff’s through his fingerprints.

According to the Mendocino Sheriff County website campers in the area reported 3-4 men in Pinder’s campsite on Monday night. There was also a motorcycle. When Pinder was found these men and the motorcycle were no longer in the area.

Early in the investigation, possible leads led Sheriff’s to San Francisco for more information on the murder.

At the time of the murder, Barry Kirk Pinder was 21 years old, 6 feet 1 inches tall, 180 pounds with blonde hair. If you have any information on Barry Kirk Pinder from 1974 or on his murder you can contact the Mendocino Sheriff’s via their tip line at 707-234-2100.

Information came from the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Website and information in the Ukiah Daily Journal and the Santa Rosa Press Democrat.