Frank Jarvis Atwood was born on January 29, 1956, the son of a wealthy California family. Court records show that by adolescence he had an extensive juvenile record including sex offenses against children. In 1975, at age 19, he was convicted of lewd conduct with an 8‑year‑old boy in California and served time in federal prison. After his release, Atwood drifted across states, violating parole and associating with other sex offenders. By the early 1980s he was living a transient lifestyle, moving between California, Texas, and Arizona.

On September 17, 1984, Vicki Lynne Hoskinson went missing while riding her bicycle to mail a birthday card. After her mother called the police, a large search effort began. Witnesses reported seeing a suspicious driver near the school where Vicki was last seen.

Law enforcement traced the suspect to Frank Jarvis Atwood using a license plate number noted by an elementary school coach. Atwood had a troubled history, including charges of child molestation and was on parole at the time. He was found in Texas, where he claimed his car had broken down. Investigators detained him and a companion for questioning. During the interrogation, Atwood provided conflicting stories about his whereabouts during the time of Vicki's disappearance.

Weeks later, a hiker discovered skeletal remains in the desert, confirmed to be that of Vicki. The remains suggested she had been there shortly after her abduction. The investigation linked Atwood to the crime scene through matching paint found on his car and damage that was consistent with Vicki's bicycle.

In January 1987, Atwood's trial began, and on March 26, he was found guilty of first-degree murder. He was sentenced to death on May 8, 1987. Over the years on death row, Atwood claimed police tampered with evidence, but his appeals were denied.

As of April 2021, Atwood had exhausted all appeals and an execution warrant was sought. His execution date was set for June 8, 2022. On that day, he was executed by lethal injection. In his last words, he maintained his innocence and did not apologize to Vicki's family. He was pronounced dead at 10:16 a.m.