Home / Crime and Justice / Texas Duo Identified in 1984 California Cold Case
Texas Duo Identified in 1984 California Cold Case
30 Jan
Summary
- Dorothy Tate was murdered in 1984; her killers were identified in 2026.
- DNA genealogy analysis linked Steven Hardy to the crime scene.
- Tate's valuables were stolen, indicating a robbery motive.
Four decades after her death, authorities have identified the individuals responsible for the 1984 murder of Dorothy "Toby" Tate. Deputies discovered Tate's body inside her camper van on November 15, 1984, after responding to a call about suspicious activity along California's Pacific Coast Highway.
Tate, a 41-year-old waitress from Colorado, was traveling with her dogs. Investigators theorize she was ambushed near the beach after a jog, with evidence of sand found in her autopsy. Her van was missing cash, a purse, credit cards, and a camera, pointing to a robbery motive.
In January 2026, the San Luis Obispo Sheriff's Department announced that Steven Richard Hardy and Charley Sneed, both from Texas, were the perpetrators. Advanced DNA genealogy analysis connected Hardy to blood found at the scene, and Sneed's fingerprints were on a Coca-Cola can. Both men have since died of natural causes.
