Steve Carter, a 67-year-old yoga instructor, was tragically killed on October 5, 2015, while hiking with his dog on a trail near Fairfax, California. Carter, who had returned to the U.S. from Costa Rica to support his wife Lokita during her breast cancer treatment, was found shot multiple times. His body was discovered by a cyclist on the Old Railroad Grade trail, still holding the leash of his wounded Doberman Pinscher, Coco. The dog, also shot, survived the attack.
Carter's death was a shocking act of violence that left the community in mourning.
The investigation quickly led to the arrest of three suspects: Morrison Haze Lampley, Sean Michael Angold, and Lila Scott Alligood. These individuals, described as drifters with no permanent address, were apprehended in Portland, Oregon, while in possession of Carter's stolen car. Surveillance footage from a gas station in Point Reyes, captured shortly after the murder, showed the suspects fueling Carter's vehicle, which helped authorities track them down. The trio was arrested outside a dining hall for the homeless, where they were found with the stolen car.
The legal proceedings revealed that Morrison Haze Lampley was the triggerman, while Lila Alligood and Sean Angold were accomplices. In February 2017, all three pleaded guilty to charges related to Carter's murder. Lampley received a sentence of 100 years to life in prison, Alligood was sentenced to 50 years to life, and Angold, who testified against his co-defendants, was given 15 years to life. The trio was also linked to the murder of Audrey Carey, a Canadian backpacker killed in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park just days before Carter's death. Both murders were part of a crime spree that shocked the local communities.
Throughout the trial, emotional impact statements from the victims' families highlighted the profound loss and grief caused by these senseless acts of violence. Lokita Carter, Steve's wife, expressed her devastation and the ongoing nightmare she endured following her husband's murder. Despite the remorse expressed by the defendants, the families of the victims found little solace in their apologies, emphasizing the irreversible impact of their actions. The case underscored the random and brutal nature of the crimes, leaving a lasting scar on those affected.
