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A couple of days after Joanne Witt was found stabbed to death in her California home, two suspects, namely her teen daughter Tylar Witt and the daughter's boyfriend Steven Colver, were arrested near San Francisco following a manhunt. Police believe the crime was committed as the victim was set to file a statutory r*pe complaint against Steven, 19, over his relationship with 14-year-old Tylar.
The couple, after being taken into custody, blamed each other for the slaying. But later, Tylar pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and agreed to testify against Steven, who was found guilty during a 2011 trial and was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Tylar received a life sentence with parole after 15 years.
Joanne Witt's stabbing death is slated to feature on ID's People Magazine Investigates this Monday, September 11, 2023. The all-new episode titled Star Crossed Killers will air on the channel at 9 pm ET.
An official synopsis says:
"After a single mother fails to show up for work, police find her brutally stabbed and her daughter missing from their home in an affluent gated community; everyone fears she's in danger, but what they uncover is darker than they could have imagined."
Teen daughter and her boyfriend involved in Joanne Witt's "forbidden love" stabbing death
Joanne Witt's teen daughter, Tylar Witt, reportedly admitted to her involvement in the 47-year-old's stabbing death. Joanne was found at a grisly crime scene at her California home with at least 20 stab wounds on June 15, 2009.
Both Tylar and the second suspect, her boyfriend, Stevel Colver, were missing from the scene, prompting a manhunt. The duo was arrested near San Francisco a couple of days later, following which they blamed each other for the murder, as per CBS.
The outlet reported that investigators believed a kitchen knife was used to murder Joanne, who had been dead for days when her body was discovered in bed at her El Dorado Hills home. The single mother resided in the house with Tylar and Steven.
Tylar Witt, after confessing to her role, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in her mother's stabbing death and agreed to testify against Steven Colver. As part of the deal, she was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 15 years.
Meanwhile, Steven stood trial in June 2011 and was found guilty of first-degree murder and the special circumstances of the use of a deadly weapon, as per People Magazine. He was later sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Prosecutors alleged that the defendant stabbed Joanne Witt to death because the 19-year-old was afraid she was going to file a statutory r*pe complaint against him for having a s*xual relationship with her daughter, who was only 14 years old at the time.
Steven and Tylar reportedly met at a local coffee shop in 2008 and became fast friends before getting involved in a s*xual relationship. The former started living at the Witts' house. During this time, Joanne caught Tylar naked in Steven's room and kicked him out, disapproving of their relationship.
As per People Magazine, prosecutors labeled it a case of "forbidden love" and used key evidence against Steven, including DNA collected from under the victim's fingernails and Tylar's testimony, to secure a conviction.
Watch People Magazine Investigates on ID this Monday to learn more about Joanne Witt's 2009 murder case.
