Adolfo Celedon, a 35-year-old Chilean citizen known to his friends as "Fito," was an engineer who had formerly worked for IBM in his home country. He moved to the San Francisco Bay Area to be with his fiancée, Amber Nelson, and to pursue a new life, which included an interest in acting. Minutes before he left Chile for California, he took a picture with his father, capturing the hope of his new beginning. His family, including his parents, older sister, and twin sister, remember him as part of a close-knit unit that was shattered by his sudden death.
In the early morning hours of September 12, 2010, Adolfo's life was cut tragically short on what should have been a day of celebration—his 35th birthday. At approximately 3:41 a.m., Adolfo and his fiancée were walking home after a night of dancing and celebrating. As they neared the corner of Emerson and Adeline streets in Berkeley, just a block from the Ashby BART station, they were confronted by two men. The assailants attempted to rob the couple. During the attack, Adolfo was shot and killed, and Nelson was punched in the face. The two suspects then fled the scene, escaping in an older-model, dark-colored or two-tone SUV.
The Berkeley Police Department immediately launched a homicide investigation, but the case has remained unsolved for over a decade. From the beginning, the Chilean government has taken a significant interest in finding justice for its citizen. The Consulate General of Chile in San Francisco has actively supported the police investigation, issuing statements on anniversaries of the murder to keep the case in the public eye and to appeal for information. The case is considered a high priority for the Chilean government.
In the years following the murder, Adolfo's family traveled from Chile to Berkeley to meet with investigators and to visit the place where he died. His mother, Maria de La Luz, visited the site for the first time a year after his death, overcome with grief. His sister, Alejandra, spoke of how the family was forever changed, saying, "Our family is different since September 12th of last year. We're trying to work in a new family, trying to fix all the pieces of the family again." For a long time, his fiancée, Amber Nelson, visited the corner of Emerson and Adeline every day. She created a garden there in his memory, marking the spot with the word "Imagine" painted inside a circle, a public display of grief meant to ensure his murder would not be forgotten.
Despite the passage of time, investigators remain hopeful that someone in the community has the key piece of information needed to solve the case. "Detectives remain hopeful that a member of the community will come forward with information," a Berkeley police spokesman said on the 10th anniversary. "Even the smallest detail could prove critical in solving this case." The Chilean consulate has echoed this plea, requesting "the community and witnesses of the assassination to provide to the Berkeley Police any information helpful to solve this murder... so that the family of Mr. Celedón can find the peace they deserve."
As of September 2021, the Berkeley Police Department's investigation into Adolfo Celedon's murder was still active and ongoing. A reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible has been increased over the years. A reward of $50,000 is currently being offered. Anyone with information about this case is urged to contact the Berkeley Police Department Homicide Unit at (510) 981-5741 or its 24-hour non-emergency line at (510) 981-5900. Anonymous tips can be provided to Bay Area Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477.
