Gamboa Family History & Genealogy

Bonnie was the youngest of 11 children. She was born to Robert W. (1907 - 1992) and Cora (1912 - 1969) Dixon in Arkansas but the family moved to Modesto CA in 1961, when Bonnie was around six years old. She later married and began working in a nursing home but, according to her father-in-law, Bonnie became disappointed in how the elderly were treated there and went to (seasonal) work at a local nut packing plant before the birth of her baby. The Gamboas were a close family: Bonnie visited her husband, Richard Alphonse Gamboa (1955 - 1988), for lunch at work (he was a cabinet maker) whenever she could and they both visited his father, Richard Sr., almost every day. Desperately wanting to expand their family circle, they tried for a baby for almost 3 years. Finally, on September 22, they had the child of their dreams - a baby boy. After the birth, the local paper (the Modesto Bee) announced the happy event. Shortly after, the Gamboas received a call offering them a free photography session of the infant. A kind and trusting person, Bonnie accepted the offer. The supposed photographer's name was Mary Alice Wry. It turns out that the perpetrator "Mary Alice Wry" had targeted & solicited multiple families with this offer but Bonnie was the only one to accept. On the day of the photo session, Richard Gamboa called his wife to remind her of an errand. She answered the phone and told him that the photographer was there. However, when he called about 30 minutes later, the phone wasn't answered. He became concerned and went home. Finding no one there, he went to the hospital fearing that the baby had become ill. His wife and son weren't at the hospital so he immediately called the police and an extensive search ensued. Four days after their disappearance, on September 29th, the police received a tip. Mary Alice Wry (5 foot 1 inch and 125 lbs and a mother of 3), who claimed to have been pregnant but who never looked pregnant, now had a small infant. When the police investigated, they found the baby (who they identified by some family traits) but not Bonnie. Two days later, the decomposed body of Bonnie Gamboa was found in a local peach orchard. The autopsy showed that she had 57 stab wounds. Mary Wry plead "not guilty." According to contemporaneous reports, Mary had a tubal ligation after her 3rd child and was unable to conceive with her new boyfriend. She therefore decided to kidnap an infant. She was convicted of kidnapping and murder and sentenced to life without the possibility of parole. She died in prison sometime around 2016 - 2017 According to records, Bonnie's husband Richard killed himself 8 years later. And what happened to baby Gamboa? Read a 2020 update on his life at What Happened to a Baby Kidnapped By His Mother’s Killer? This case is featured on the TV show "Buried in the Backyard" in Season 3, episode 1. Note: the date of death for Bonnie differs slightly, depending on the source. Find A Grave lists it as September 25, 1980. Other sources list the date that her body was found: October 1st. (See Bonnie Gamboa: Obituary)

Elpidia Delgado Gamboa of Selma, Fresno County, California was born on April 29, 1934, and died at age 73 years old on August 9, 2007.

John R Gamboa of Rialto, San Bernardino County, CA was born on April 11, 1918 in Mexico, and died at age 86 years old on October 10, 2004.

Felipe M Gamboa of Roswell, Chaves County, New Mexico was born on August 23, 1906, and died at age 77 years old in December 1983.

Felipe A Gamboa of Edinburg, Hidalgo County, TX was born on August 18, 1951. Felipe Gamboa was married to Juanita (Salazar) Gamboa on September 22, 1968 in Hidalgo County, TX, and died at age 36 years old on December 6, 1987.

Adelfa F Gamboa of TX was born on July 1, 1946. She was married to Macedonio Gamboa Jr on November 22, 1969 in Bexar County, TX, and died at age 48 years old on September 22, 1994. Adelfa Gamboa was buried at Ft. Sam Houston National Cemetery Section 13 Site 322 1520 Harry Wurzbach Road, in San Antonio, Tx.

Jesus D Gamboa of Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, CA was born on October 5, 1925, and died at age 76 years old on September 3, 2002.

Jesus L Gamboa of San Antonio, Bexar County, TX was born on February 27, 1913, and died at age 85 years old on November 14, 1998. Jesus Gamboa was buried at Ft. Sam Houston National Cemetery Section 25 Site 1803 1520 Harry Wurzbach Road, in San Antonio.

Jesus A Gamboa of El Paso, El Paso County, TX was born on June 2, 1966, and died at age 31 years old on February 10, 1998.

Prudencio Manalisay Gamboa of Killeen, Bell County, TX was born on February 13, 1946, and died at age 64 years old on June 13, 2010. Prudencio Gamboa was buried at Central Texas State Veterans Cemetery Section 2 Row P Site 771 11463 State Highway 195, in Killeen.

Judith Belen Gamboa of El Paso, El Paso County, Texas was born on September 10, 1980, and died at age 28 years old on May 1, 2009.

Margarita A Gamboa of El Paso, El Paso County, Texas was born on February 22, 1938. Margarita Gamboa was married to Carlos Gamboa on May 28, 1976 in El paso County, TX, and died at age 68 years old on November 13, 2006.

Gilbert Martinez Gamboa of Pico Rivera, Los Angeles County, California was born on November 5, 1923, and died at age 85 years old on June 24, 2009.

Antonio Gamboa of Lubbock, Lubbock County, Texas was born on June 13, 1929, and died at age 52 years old in August 1981.

Antonio Gamboa of Alamo, Hidalgo County, TX was born on October 9, 1942. Antonio Gamboa was married to Martina (Coyote) Gamboa on October 15, 1971 in Hidalgo County, TX, and died at age 59 years old on November 16, 2001.

Edward M Gamboa of San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas was born on October 14, 1926. Edward Gamboa was married to Dolorez (Gonzaba) Gamboa on November 2, 1988 in Bexar County, TX, and died at age 81 years old on December 3, 2007.

Edward Gamboa Jr of Texas was born on September 9, 1980. Edward Gamboa was married to Raquel (Hernandez) Gamboa on May 13, 2000 in Hidalgo County, TX, and died at age 26 years old on December 18, 2006.

Alberto Gamboa of El Paso, El Paso County, TX was born on February 8, 1910 in Mexico, and died at age 86 years old on February 25, 1996. Alberto Gamboa was buried at Ft. Bliss National Cemetery Section L Site 2486 P.o. Box 6342 - 5200 Fred Wilson Avenue, in El Paso.

Maria D Gamboa of San Juan, Hidalgo County, TX was born on October 13, 1940, and died at age 62 years old on June 11, 2003.

Maria L Gamboa of El Paso, El Paso County, Texas was born on March 5, 1937, and died at age 49 years old in December 1986.