12-Year-Old Was Abducted and Killed During Sleepover: Inside the Case of Polly Klaas

NEED TO KNOW

Polly Klaas was 12 years old when she was abducted on Oct. 1, 1993, from her home in Petaluma, Calif., where she was having a slumber party with two other 12-year-old classmates

The case riveted the nation, ultimately sparking a nationwide search

Some 32 years later, her abduction and murder remain ingrained in the American psyche

Some 32 years later, the abduction and murder of Polly Klaas remains ingrained in the American psyche. Polly was 12 years old when she was kidnapped on Oct. 1, 1993, from her home in Petaluma, Calif., where she was having a slumber party with two other 12-year-old classmates.

The case sparked a nationwide search, made Polly a household name and led to California's adoption of the “three strikes and you’re out” law, which called for increased p