The State - News from April 12, 1989

The father of a missing Fresno baby was found dead and his wife unconscious at a Visalia motel in what police said might have been a suicide pact. Fresno police said John Ray, 32, apparently killed himself with an overdose of prescription drugs on Saturday--the day he was to take a lie detector test in connection with the disappearance nearly two weeks ago of 4-month-old Cindy Ray. Janine Ray, 26, was revived and interviewed briefly by a detective who said she was not yet sufficiently recovered to tell him anything “substantive.” Fresno Police Sgt. Mike Guthrie said Visalia police found in the motel room “documentary evidence” that could lead to the missing child. Police said John Ray had a record of abusing his wife, leading to the suspicion that someone may have taken the child to protect her.