Photo of the victim, Lucille Hultgren. Credit: Galt Police Department
On Monday, May 23, 1988, Galt (California) Police Officers were dispatched to the 500 block of Poplar St. regarding a deceased female inside of the residence. The female, 79-year-old, Lucille Hultgren, had been located by two friends who came to the residence to check on her when she didn’t attend church the previous day. The two friends had entered the residence through a partially opened sliding glass door on the east side of the residence.
Upon making the discovery of their friend, they drove to the Galt Police Department to report what they had found. Galt police officers and Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office deputies immediately responded back to the female’s residence. Officers entered the residence, through the same unlocked sliding glass door, and confirmed the female was deceased. Hultgren had visible injuries to her chest and appeared to have been sexually assaulted. There were no signs of forced entry into the residence.
Hultgren had been a Galt resident for approximately 25 years. During the investigation, numerous witnesses were located and interviewed, which included neighbors, family and church members, and a company who had recently installed a tool shed on the property.
The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigative Unit processed the scene and collected a large amount of evidence. The California Department of Justice also assisted with the fingerprint collection from the scene. The coroner’s opinion was that Hultgren’s death occurred 2 to days prior to the discovery of her body. Hultgren’s autopsy report stated the cause of her death was stab wounds to the chest and strangulation.
In January 2022, the DNA evidence was re-examined at the Sacramento County Crime Lab. A DNA hit was located on fingernail scrapings and bodily fluid from bedding recovered at the scene. The suspect was identified as Terry Leroy Bramble, who was 32-years-old when he committed this crime. Bramble had been a long-time resident and transient of Galt until he died of natural causes in October 2011. His DNA had been on-file due to a 1992 sexual assault conviction, which occurred in San Joaquin County. Bramble was also a registered sex offender due to this conviction.
Hultgren had previously lived in Ohio before relocating to the Galt area. She lived with her husband, Frank, until he passed away just months before this heinous crime was committed.
The findings of this case would not be possible without the Sacramento County District Attorney's Office and DA Anne Marie Schubert for their diligent hard work to provide closure for Hultgren’s family.
Republished courtesy of Galt Police Department.