Gus Hoffman

Real Name: Gus Henry Hoffman
Nicknames: No known nicknames
Location: Los Gatos, California
Date: July 4, 1978

Bio

Occupation: Unrevealed
Date of Birth: January 4, 1958
Height: 5'8"
Weight: 120 pounds
Marital Status: Unrevealed
Characteristics: Caucasian male. Brown hair, brown eyes.

Case

Details: Twenty-year-old Gus Hoffman was an avid musician and motorcycle rider. In October 1977, he acquired an old Harley Davidson Sportster, and spent a lot of time, effort, and money restoring it to mint condition. The make and model of bike was popular not only with aficionados, but also criminal bikers, and may have regretfully made Gus a target. Because of this, his parents wanted him to sell the bike. He agreed to do this once he finished refurbishing it.
On July 4, 1978, he showed off the bike to his brother and told him that he was going to take the bike out for a short ride; however, he never returned. Gus's mother Rose became concerned and contacted the police. The police told her that nothing could be done until forty-eight hours after he was reported missing, so she decided to look for him herself. She canvassed the neighborhood and soon ran into one of Gus's friends, who worked at a gas station. The friend told her that on the day of Gus's disappearance, he saw Gus pull up to an intersection on his motorcycle. The friend saw two other bikers and a blue Monte Carlo riding close behind him. The friend remembered the two bikers because they had come into the gas station earlier and had been mean to him. A second witness claimed that the two bikers had stopped Gus, argued with him, and threatened him with chains. When Gus pulled away, the two bikers and the Monte Carlo followed him.
The two witnesses identified one of the bikers as Michael Hodges, a member of the "Forgotten Few" motorcycle gang. The other biker was identified as Michael Stevenson, another member of the same gang. Stevenson was a violent career criminal. However, investigators did not have enough evidence to bring the two men in for interrogation. Instead, they questioned other gang members who knew the two men. Nobody was willing to talk.

Stevenson and Hodges — Michael Stevenson (left) and Michael Hodges

In order to turn up leads for the police, Rose and a friend named Carol Jensen decided to go undercover to infiltrate motorcycle gang hangouts. The two women dressed as best as they could as women bikers. They went to biker bars and other hangouts and questioned bikers, hoping to find anyone who had information about Gus. She solicited and even bought information, sharing any lead she found with the police.
Rose hired a private investigator who had connections with motorcycle gangs. He set up a meeting with a woman who claimed to have information about Gus's disappearance. The informant said that Gus was dead; she claimed that he had been tortured for three to five days before being killed. Rose begged for the woman to talk to the police, but the investigator said that the woman couldn't because she would be killed.
Rose believes that the bikers took her son to an unknown home, forced him into the garage, tortured him, and murdered him. However, she had no evidence to prove her theory. Then, on June 19, 1986, Michael Stevenson was killed during a failed extortion attempt. With Stevenson dead, investigators re-questioned former motorcycle gang members. These members began to talk; they said that Gus had been taken to Stevenson's home, where he was tortured and murdered.
In June 1988, Michael Hodges was arrested and charged with Gus's murder. However, Rose and the investigators are certain that more people were involved in the case.
Suspects: Michael Hodges and Michael Stevenson were identified as the bikers who were last seen with Gus before he vanished. The two are considered prime suspects in Gus's disappearance.
Extra Notes: This case first aired on the April 26, 1989 episode.

Dollar and Stelle — Richard Dollar (left) and John Stelle

Results: Unresolved. Richard Dollar, another gang member, was serving time in San Quentin Prison for a parole violation when he was charged with Gus's murder. Yet another gang member, John Stelle, was arrested in Northern California in December 1988, while Unsolved Mysteries was still filming Gus's story. Stelle was carrying a loaded handgun; he was also charged with Gus's murder.
In August 1990, Michael Hodges, Richard Dollar, and John Stelle were all convicted of Gus's murder and sentenced to life in prison. Hodge and Stelle have since died while behind bars.
Based on the testimony of witnesses, investigators believe Gus's body was dismembered in Michael Stevenson's garage, placed in trash bags, and taken to a unknown location. Gus' body was never found, nor was his motorcycle, which authorities believed was sold to a chop shop by the murderers in order to disassociate themselves from the crime and for money.

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