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Carlson Found Guilty of First Degree Murder

On Thursday October 30, 2014 jurors in the murder trial of Steven John Carlson returned a verdict of “guilty” of murder in the first degree. Carlson was accused of brutally stabbing Tina Faelz to death on April 5th, 1984.

The Pleasanton Police Department is pleased with the jury’s verdict. Chief Dave Spiller said, “this is a big day for the Pleasanton community and for Tina’s family. This is a long-time coming and justice has finally been served for Tina. It is my hope that this verdict will help bring some closure to Tina’s family and friends, while helping them heal from this senseless tragedy committed thirty years ago”.

Officer Batt, the lead detective on the case at its conclusion said, “I’m pleased with the result. I appreciate the efforts of all those involved in the case before me, as well as the work of the district attorney and the jury”.

Sentencing for Carlson will be held on January 9th, 2015 at 9:00 a.m. in the Alameda County Superior Court. Carlson faces a sentence of 26 years to life in state prison.


Pleasanton Police Announce Arrest in 27-Year Old Homicide Case
(August 8, 2011)

Pleasanton, CA--The Pleasanton Police Department reports that an arrest has been made in a local homicide that took place in 1984, surrounding the murder of 14-year-old Tina Faelz. Pleasanton Police Chief Dave Spiller made the announcement at a press conference this morning where he detailed the arrest of a 43 year old male with an extensive criminal history that lived in Pleasanton and attended Foothill High School at the time of the crime. Because he was a juvenile at the time the crime was committed, his name cannot be released pending referral to adult court.

Tina Faelz was found brutally stabbed on April 5, 1984 while walking home from Foothill High School. In the late afternoon of that day, Tina’s body was discovered in a drainage area adjacent to the Interstate 680 freeway. At the time of the murder, this undeveloped area located east of the high school campus was commonly traveled by students walking to and from school.

“It is very gratifying to have the many long hours our department has invested into this case result in some possible closure. It has been very hard on the family of the victim and the community, which was devastated that this caliber of crime occurred here,” said Chief Spiller.

When the body was discovered, police conducted exhaustive crime scene processing, facilitated interviews of classmates, friends, school faculty, and nearby residents who may have been potential witnesses. Officers searched the area but did not locate either a suspect or the murder weapon. In the years since the murder, the Pleasanton Police Department has kept the case open and investigated any tips or new information that emerged, yet the case remained unsolved.

In late 2007, the police department again re-examined the physical evidence which was collected in 1984, looking for new clues with careful attention to possible scientific analysis which might not have been available in 1984. Evidence items were submitted to two different laboratories for evaluation and examination.

Last October, the police department was notified by the FBI crime lab in Quantico, Virginia that led to the identification of the person believed to be responsible for the murder of Tina Faelz. The case has been forwarded to the juvenile division of the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office for review and charging.