Here’s Where Bruce Koklich From Homicide: LA Is Today

Homicide: Los Angeles, the latest installment in Dick Wolf’s true crime docuseries, premiered on Netflix on July 16. Following a New York version earlier this year, the new chapter revisits homicide cases from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Office, the country’s largest sheriff’s office.

One case focuses on a married couple, Bruce and Jana Koklich, who ran a real estate business together until Jana’s mysterious disappearance led to a murder conviction for Bruce.

Here’s a recap of what happened in the episode, titled “The Disappearing Wife,” plus an update about Bruce Koklich after Homicide: LA.

What Happened To Jana Koklich?

Bruce reported Jana missing in August 2001. There was speculation about several potential suspects in her disappearance, including the suggestion it could be an act of revenge against Jana’s father, a former senator.

However, Jana’s SUV was soon found with her blood in the back, and according to the docuseries, her blood was also found in the couple’s bedroom. Later a witness claimed they saw Bruce sitting in Jana’s vehicle shortly before she was reported missing. Karen Shonka, a since-retired LASD homicide detective, posits in Homicide: LA that Bruce killed Jana because she was “in the way” of his desire to be a single real estate mogul.

Jana’s body was not found, and murder charges against Bruce initially ended in a 2003 mistrial. In a second trial later that year, he was convicted of second-degree murder, per the Los Angeles Times, and was sentenced to 15 years to life in prison.

A Case Update

The local station KNX News reported that Koklich has applied for parole several times. He applied in 2023, but was denied for a period of five years, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

Janeth Carpenter, Jana’s mother, once speculated that her former son-in-law would reveal the location of Jana’s body. “I think it’s possible that he might, in order to get parole,” she said in 2004, via the Los Angeles Times. But Jana’s body still has not been found.

At the end of “The Disappearing Wife,” Bruce’s step-brother, David Titchenal, says he’s still in touch with Bruce in prison, adding that he has “no sympathy” for the former real estate businessman.

“The perpetrator has family, too, and they’re [affected by] the disappointment and shame,” Titchenal says, later expressing his dismay that Jana’s family never received conclusive answers about her death. “Not knowing whatever happened to their daughter, that’s very sad, and that breaks my heart.”