Family Continues Search for Justice 31 Years After Murder of Castro Valley Teen Jenny Lin

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It has been 31 years since 14-year-old Jenny Lin was brutally murdered inside her home in Castro Valley, California. Her family has never stopped searching for answers.

Despite the decades that have passed, the case remains unsolved, and the Lin family continues to hold out hope that the person responsible will one day be brought to justice.

On Saturday night, the community came together once again at the annual tribute concert held at the Chabot College Performing Arts Center in Hayward. Hosted by the Jenny Lin Foundation, the concert is not only a celebration of music and youth talent but a heartfelt tribute to a young girl whose life was taken too soon. The foundation has organized the event every year since Jenny’s death, determined to keep her memory alive.

Jenny’s father, John Lin, found his daughter in a pool of blood in their home after returning from work in May 1994. The horror of that day has never faded, and his mission to find her killer remains unchanged. “The number one thing we want is to find the killer of Jenny. It has been 31 years now, and the killer is still out there somewhere,” he said.

Her mother, Mei-Lien Lin, shared how the music program has helped her cope with the unimaginable loss. “It is hard. But it is also sweet. I see Jenny in every child that participates in this program,” she said.

Community Support

Jenny was a talented and accomplished young musician. In her memory, the Jenny Lin Foundation created a six-week summer music camp for East Bay students. Each year, the camp concludes with a final concert showcasing what the young musicians have learned. Scholarships are also awarded to standout performers. Beyond music, the program focuses on leadership, community, and resilience.

Former students who participated in the foundation’s programs continue to return to support the mission. Gloria Zhu and Felicia Ho, both Castro Valley High School alumni, attended the event on Saturday. “We were all student coordinators in high school. It’s been almost 20 years,” Zhu said. Ho, who now lives in Los Angeles, added, “Getting any information about Jenny’s death would be incredible. It would bring a lot of closure to the community and to Mr. and Mrs. Lin.”

Detective Patrick Smyth from the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office also attended the event. He said the case is still active, and investigators are working with modern forensic tools to reprocess evidence. A $200,000 reward is still being offered for any information that could help solve the case.

“We still have a lot of hope. We don’t give up,” said Smyth. “Our crime lab is still working on processing evidence. We know time makes things harder, but doesn’t make it impossible.”

Despite the years, the Lin family remains committed to pursuing justice. They draw strength from similar cold cases that have been solved decades later through new technologies and renewed efforts.

“We found that there are cases, 40 or even 45 years old, that were solved recently. So, we still keep hope that one day, Jenny’s case will be solved too,” John Lin said.

Anyone with information about Jenny Lin’s murder is encouraged to contact the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office.