Brenda was last seen on August 6, 1956 in the San Gabriel Canyon area near Glendora Mountain Road, bicycling with Donald Lee Baker. An extensive search found only their bicycles and Brenda�s jacket. Brenda lived in Fort Bragg and was visiting the area. In March 1970, Mack Ray Edwards surrendered to police and confessed to murdering 6 children between 1953 and 1970. He once claimed to have killed 18 but in 1971 while on death row he committed suicide.Edwards confessed and was convicted of the murder of Gary Rochet, Donald Allen Todd, and Stella Darlene Nolan. He also confessed to killing Brenda Jo Howell, Donald Lee Baker, and Roger Dale Madison. He was never charged with the murder of these children because their bodies haven't been found.