More than 20 years after an 18-year-old was found dead near a hiking trail in California, investigators say an arrest has finally been made.
James Landi, 43, from San Mateo, was arrested December 5 in connection with the 2004 killing of Reynaldo Burts, according to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office.
Burts’ body was discovered March 21, 2004, by a hiker who called authorities around 2:18 p.m. to report human remains near Southfork Trail and Highway 74 in Idyllwild, Riverside County.
“Deputies from the Hemet Sheriff’s Station responded and located the victim, who showed signs of obvious trauma,” according to news release from the sheriff’s office.
“Based on the initial findings, the Riverside Sheriff’s Central Homicide Unit assumed the investigation.”
The victim was later identified as Burts, from Hemet, California. Riverside County Sheriff’s Central Homicide Unit took over the investigation, which stretched on for years, as detectives worked leads and conducted interviews.
Investigatorsidentified Landi as a person of interest, but authorities said there was not enough evidence at the time to make an arrest, and the case went cold.
In August 2025, the investigation was revived as part of an effort to review stalled cold case homicide cases. During that review, detectives from the Central Homicide Unit identified additional investigative leads, prompting them to reopen the case.
On December 5, with assistance from the Riverside County District Attorney’s Gang Impact Team, investigators located Landi in San Mateo and arrested him without incident. Details of what evidence led to the arrest of Landi have not been released.
Landi was transported to Riverside County and booked into the Cois Byrd Detention Center on a charge of murder.
Officials said the investigation remains ongoing and that no additional details will be released at this time.
