SLO County man charged with hate crime, murder in death of Atascadero man
A Paso Robles man was charged Tuesday with committing murder, a hate crime and animal abuse in connection to the death of an Atascadero man who went missing last week, according to a District Attorney’s Office news release.
Todd Joseph Pinion, 34, of Atascadero was reported missing Wednesday, according to a news release from the Atascadero Police Department. His dog, Spock, was found dead at the base of the Cuesta Grade the following morning.
Police then found Pinion’s body on Saturday in a remote area near Tassajara Creek.
Paso Robles resident Tyler Grant Stevens, 21, was taken into custody and subsequently booked into San Luis Obispo County Jail on suspicion of a charge of homicide, the Police Department said.
On Tuesday, the District Attorney’s Office filed charges against Stevens, alleging two felony counts of murder and animal abuse related to Pinion’s dog Spock.
The complaint alleged the homicide was committed with a knife, the release said.
Stevens also faces a hate crime enhancement that alleged the murder was committed — in whole or in part — “because of the victim’s actual or perceived sexual orientation,” the release said.
The complaint also alleged Stevens has a 2022 conviction for assault on a peace office with a deadly weapon, giving him one strike under California’s Three Strikes Law.
Under the Three Strikes law, anyone convicted of a felony after one prior conviction of a serious or violent felony can be sentenced to prison for twice as long as a normal. A third-time offender faces a minimum sentence of 25 years to life in prison.
Stevens will be arraigned on Wednesday in Department 3 of the San Luis Obispo Superior Court, according to the release.
The investigation is ongoing.
Anyone with information on the case was encouraged to contact the Atascadero Police Department at 805-461-5051.
