Stephen Anderson was 35 when he was found dead in his Sacramento home on February 12, 1991. Initial reports say he suffered multiple stab wounds and authorities classified the death as a homicide. Investigators found no clear motive; Anderson reportedly had no known enemies and was well liked in his community, which complicated the inquiry.

Detectives pursued numerous leads and interviewed many people, but the case went cold for years. A later re-examination of DNA evidence from the scene identified a suspect with a prior record who was arrested and charged. At trial the prosecution said the intruder intended to rob Anderson and that a struggle led to the fatal wounds; the jury convicted the defendant of first-degree murder.