Town file
Olancha, California
Olancha, California (Inyo County, California) is the town in one episode of Small Town Murder, the comedy true-crime podcast: episode 628, "The Cowboy & The Con Man" (5 September 2025). William Clarence 'Bill' Thornburg, known as Bill, was born in the 1920s and grew up on a ranch near Olancha in Inyo County, California.
- Town
- Olancha
- County
- Inyo County
- State
- California
- Country
- USA
- Episodes
- 628
- Approximate location
- 36.270, -118.001
Episode 628 / 5 September 2025 / 68 min / express
The Cowboy & The Con Man
"This is Olancha, California, east central California, and this is in Inyo County." about 0:03:23
The case: Murder of Bill Thornburg (May 29th, 1979). Read the case file.
The figures, as told in 2025
- Population
- 158
- Median household income
- $61,964
- Median home value
- $235,500
History, in brief
- Olancha was established by Minnard Farley, who arrived in 1860 and discovered silver ore. about 0:05:16
- The name Olancha is believed to be derived from the nearby Yodanche tribe. about 0:05:20
- On August 11th, 1969, Manson family members Charles 'Tex' Watson and Diane Lake hid out in Olancha after the Sharon Tate murders. about 0:05:31
- Tex Watson bought a newspaper in Olancha and learned that police still did not know who had committed the murders. about 0:05:53
- Diane Lake was taken into custody after an Olancha resident complained that she was swimming nude. about 0:06:10
- The pair stayed for weeks and then went to Death Valley, where they were taken in. about 0:06:23
The reviews read out
4 stars
"Scenic views, great fishing, horseback riding, boating, camping, hiking, swimming, mountain biking, golf and off-road adventures for the whole family."about 0:06:38
4.3 stars
"4.3 stars out of 252 reviews, with many saying it is extremely overpriced because it is in the middle of nowhere."about 0:07:15
5 stars
"Hard to find now the 395 does not pass by; try the Olancha burger, with adult drinks in a cooler behind the counter, a cool motif and plenty of outside seating; well worth the stop."about 0:07:26
1 star
"Arrived at 5.45pm when Google said they were open; the owner said the cook would be another hour and forty-five minutes and would not sell hot water for the family's porridge; will not be back."about 0:07:50
Nearest Small Town Murder towns
- Springville, California47 miles
- Cottonwood, California84 miles
- Sunnyside, California99 miles
- Lomita, California172 miles
- Boulder City, Nevada175 miles
- Canyon Lake, California183 miles
Everything here is as told in the episode, on the date it went out; figures and places may have changed since. Endings are covered: open an episode and use the spoiler switch to read them.