THE STORY
Reported Haunting
The campground at China Camp State Park is associated with paranormal stories surrounding the site where the bodies of James and Naomi Olive were burned following the infamous 1975 Barbecue Murders.
China Camp State Park in Marin County became connected with one of the region's most notorious crimes in June 1975. Sixteen-year-old Marlene Olive and her boyfriend Charles Riley were involved in the murders of her adoptive parents, James and Naomi Olive, at their Terra Linda home. The bodies were transported to China Camp and burned in a barbecue pit in the park. In later years, ghost stories developed around China Camp and particularly its campground and barbecue areas, including reports of apparitions and unexplained activity attributed to the tragedy. The murders are established historical fact, while the reported supernatural activity remains local folklore and paranormal testimony.