After a whirlwind romance and marriage, a man strangles his wife in a jealous rage.

Sal Guarado with goatee style beard

Sal Guardado

Suspect:

Gender: Male
DOB: 7/25/51
Height: 5’10”
Weight: 210 lbs.
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Black
Defining Characteristics: Has a tattoo of a heart and arrow with the name, “Rachel” on his upper right arm

CASE DETAILS

In 1985, Sally Garrity of San Francisco, California, wanted to settle down, but had not yet found “the man of her dreams”. Then, in February of that year, at a neighborhood tavern, Sally thought she had met the perfect mate, a young man named Sal Guardado. Sheri Ysit was happy for her sister:

“She said, ‘I think I met Mr. Right, Sheri.’ So I was very happy for her to have met someone that made her happy. I saw that in her face, that Sal had made her happy, just in the short time that she had met and known him.”

Sally Garrity with a wide smile on her face

Sally Garrity

Sally was half Irish and half Shoshone Paiute Indian. She made and sold Native American handicrafts. Sal worked part-time in a local pizza parlor. Sally brought her sister Sheri and her Aunt Lydia, who had raised the two girls, there to meet Sal. Within a week of meeting, Sal proposed to Sally and took out a loan for a diamond ring. But things didn’t stay romantic for very long. Sal lost his job and his car, and the couple was forced to move in with Sally’s aunt, Lydia. It seemed that Sal was always in a foul mood. He did nothing but watch TV and go bowling with his friends. When they visited a Native American festival, Sheri got a first hand look at Sal’s dark side:

“That was the first indication to me that she wasn’t happy with him. It was a big change from the pizza parlor. She indicated to me that she wished he would move out.”

Sal subduing Sally's aunt on a living room couch in the middle of the day

Sal attacked Sally’s aunt

Then, on May 23, 1985, three months into the relationship, Sal was at home when Sally was dropped off by a friend. When he noticed that the friend was a man, he flew into a rage. Sally’s aunt Lydia returned home in the middle of the argument:

“I just hated that he was so aggressive. He might have got jealous, yes. But there was nothing between that man and Sally. She just rode home with him. He never asked to do anything for me. But he did run me out of the house that day. When I think about it, that’s what I think he wanted.”

A black bowling ball on the living room floor

He assaulted Lydia with a bowling ball

A short while later, Lydia returned:

“I didn’t see anything when I came back, it was so quiet. The TV was on, so I just sat down and watched the news. I heard the bedroom door open and just kept watching the news. Then he tried to strangle me, but I wouldn’t let him. I started fighting him. Before I knew it, I was hit on the head. I heard the bones crushing and the ball roll over something, but I was out.”

Lydia eventually regained consciousness:

“When I came to, I got up and I was so weak, I just staggered around. And then I went in the bedroom. My niece was lying there. I knew right away she was dead. And after that, I just went to my neighbor, knocked on the window and told her, ‘Call the police.'”

Sally had been strangled to death. During the investigation, Sally’s family discovered that Sal Guardado was a convicted felon with a long criminal record. He had spent five years in prison for arson and the attempted murder of a former girlfriend.

Sal Guardado with a full beard

Sal Guardado

Authorities immediately began searching the San Francisco area, but Sal was gone. Inspector Jeff Brosch of the San Francisco Police Department investigated the case:

“We thought we’d solve this case right away. We had the FBI involved. We had local law enforcement involved. We had all the tools, and we just couldn’t find out where he’d gone or where he was. It boggles the mind to understand how he’s avoided us all this time.”

Three months after Sal Guardado disappeared, a witness reported seeing him back in San Francisco at a fast food restaurant. However, authorities believe he may have gone to Miami, Mexico, Hawaii or Puerto Rico.


Watch this case now on Amazon Prime in season four with Robert Stack and in season eight with Dennis Farina. Also available on YouTube with Dennis Farina. Various seasons available now on Hulu.

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23 Comments

  1. ANONYMOUS

  2. Anon

    The complete name: Salvador Nunez Guardado.
    S Guardado has posted on this page.
    Cops stopped looking bc she is native smart I am and he is Mexican.
    If you know where he is, you need to report this right away. He’s getting away with more than one murder I can bet on it.

    Reply

  3. Kelley O

    He is a POS he came to the “Great American Music Hall” on O’Farrel st back in the day-
    Theres no doubt HELL is in his eternal future, he would be 69 years old if still around
    today. Hopefully he aint. Predator, probably other victims. He didn’t pay the price in this lifetime
    but I guarantee you he will in the next
    SAD

    Reply

  4. Anonymous

    I met Sally when she came to stay in Owyhee, NV with relatives. We became close friends and had a lot of good times together. Sally had the most infectious smile and a great sense of humor. She taught me how to do eye makeup, and was never without her lip gloss. She carried around a giant purse, perfect for smuggling a six pack of colt 45 into a.movie theatre. She always had my back. We both left owyhee, and I never heard from her again. It was a shock to see her story on tv. RIP my friend.

    Reply

  5. Jamesgangsta

    He’s still in San Francisco he came back possibly a plumber. He def isn’t dead. Also you can always assume he’s going to turn up.

    Reply

  6. TDenson

    I met her in San Fransico at the Hotel Yerba Buena bar back in 1979. We became friends and I saw her just about every night since I stayed at the hotel for 3 week for a training. she was with me the last night I was there. I never heard from her after I left. Years later, My mother and I were watching Unsolved Mysteries and the host started talking about Sally. I told my mother that I knew her while in San Francisco. RIP Sally.

    Reply

  7. Harley

    My mom is Rachel. She was his first wife.

    Reply

  8. michael

    Build the wall

    Reply

  9. S Guardado

    I heard he went bowling one day and never came back.

    Reply

  10. Anonymous

    Have any of you, people in San Francisco, Miami, Mexico, Hawaii or Puerto Rico ever seen this man before? I don’t know how old he would be right now, but I think he would be in his middle age today. Yoy might have seen him with a tattoo of a heart and arrow with the name “Rachel” on his upper right arm. If you have seen him before, you need to contact the authorities right away.

    Reply

    • Dave

      This man would be like 64 years old today. If you’ve seen him before, call the police.

      Reply

    • S Guardado

      He died. Word in the family is that he fled the US after the crime to Guardalaja, Mexico (where his father’s family was). Not long after he was there, a big earthquake hit Mexico and his family never heard from him again. They say he died

      Reply

  11. Jackie

    It is terrible that crimes like this continue to happen and its perpetrators go unpunished.

    Jackie

    Reply

    • Ali Houssney

      I agree, just like the murders of Dick Hansen in 1991, David Eugene Hurley in 1992 and Richie Aderson in 1997. I am glad they recently caught the man who killed Roger Dean way back in 1986. They nabbed his killer, Michael Jefferson, in April of 2021 after all the advances in DNA. Even I can NEVER figure out how the HELL can these criminals get away with murder for over 30 years and it does not bother their conscience, assuming they are still alive today.

      Reply

  12. anonymous

    If this man would be 64 years old did u ever check Facebook because there is a man there that resembles his face. Now what are you going to do about it.

    Reply

  13. Me

    I saw him on Facebook are you guys that Dumb?f

    Reply

  14. Anonymous

    The complete name: Salvador Nunez Guardado
    If you have any information please contact the San Francisco police dept. or your local FBI office.

    Reply

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