Cold case of body found in van solved after 40 years, SLO County sheriff says
.JPG "Investigators document a van in which a woman’s body was found in a pullout on Highway 1, about three miles north of Hearst Castle, on Nov. 15, 1983. Dorothy Alice “Toby” Tate was found shot to death in the vehicle.")
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Sheriff’s Office solved a 1983 Highway 1 murder using modern DNA genealogy.
- Forensic tests linked blood and fingerprints to two deceased Texas suspects.
- Detectives deemed case prosecutable but suspects died; case now closed.
The cold case of a body found in a van near Hearst Castle has been solved after more than 40 years of mystery, the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office announced Tuesday.
On Nov. 15, 1983, Dorothy “Toby” Tate was found fatally shot in a van parked in a turnout along Highway 1 about three miles north of Hearst Castle, the Sheriff’s Office said in a news release Tuesday.
Tate, who was around 40 years old when she died, was vacationing in SLO County from Estes Park, Colorado, according to Tribune stories from the time. Her two Queensland Blue Heeler dogs were found at the scene.
With no initial suspects, the investigation remained an open cold case for years, until advanced DNA genealogy analysis of original evidence and forensic material recently allowed detectives to reopen and solve the case.
Two men were identified as having been involved in the murder.
Old blood samples run through forensic analysis placed Steven Richard Hardy at the scene of the crime, confirmed through DNA comparison with a close family member, the news release said. Fingerprints on a Coca-Cola can found at the scene also identified Charley Sneed.
Both men were from Texas and have since died, the release said. No evidence suggests the involvement of any other suspects.
Evidence indicated the crime was likely committed during a burglary or theft, given that Tate’s property was later pawned elsewhere in California, the Sheriff’s Office said. In 1987, SLO County detectives attempted to track down the man who sold her camera in Bakersfield after her death, which was their only lead in the case, according to previous Tribune reporting.
Through his investigation, Det. Clint Cole determined beyond a reasonable doubt that Hardy and Sneed were involved in the murder, the release said.
The District Attorney’s Office reviewed the evidence and concluded that sufficient probable cause existed to support prosecution had the suspects been alive, the release said.
Over four decades later, the case is now closed and listed as “exceptionally cleared.”
“This case demonstrates the power of modern forensic science and the commitment of Detective Cole, who never stopped working to bring justice to victims and their families,” Sheriff Ian Parkinson said in the release.
Cole also led the investigations for the murders of Kristin Smart and Nancy Woodrum.
More information was expected to be released by the Sheriff’s Office at a news conference Tuesday morning.
This story was originally published January 20, 2026 at 10:00 AM.
