Tina Faelz murder by Steven Carlson features on Cold Case Files

This week Cold Case Files examines the case of teenager Tina Faelz, whose murder remained unsolved for 27 years.

In April 1984 in Pleasanton, CA., 14-year-old Tina Faelz was dead found in a ditch near the Interstate, she had been stabbed 44 times in a savage attack.

Hundreds of people were interviewed at the time, including 16-year-old Steven Carlson. He was a classmate of Tina and had known her since middle school, but police did not suspect him at the time.

It was not until two years later that he became a suspect, after telling people he’d killed Tina. By this time Carlson was a dropout and addicted to meth and picking up a lengthy criminal record.

Police then pulled him for two days of interviews, but Carlson said he had just been making a joke and had not committed the murder.

It was not until his arrest in 2011 for an unrelated crime that police matched his blood to some found on Tina’s purse. This together with what he had been telling people back in 1986 was was enough to convince a jury of his guilt.

His defense lawyer maintained he was innocent and pointed out the lack of any supporting evidence like fingerprints, a murder weapon or a motive.

Steven Carlson finally convicted in 2014 and given 26 years to life in state prison.

Cold Case Files airs at 9PM on A&E.