Donna Fowler: The Landfill Secret | Chico News

Chico News Today | 2 Min News | The Daily News Now! · Aug 17, 2026 · 1m

A seven-year-old girl vanished from Weaverville, California in 1980—only to be linked decades later to a serial killer who confessed to her murder to avoid the death penalty. Wayne Harvey Smith, a former neighbor, admitted he strangled Donna Fowler and dumped her body at a landfill now buried under 40 feet of dirt. Though her case is officially closed, her body remains missing. Smith was also convicted for two other brutal murders, one of which was later confirmed through DNA evidence. Despite his confession, no one has ever found Donna’s remains—and she still lives on in the hearts of those…