Who Killed the Prosecutor?

48 Hours

This '48 Hours' episode investigates the 2002 murder of Bakersfield prosecutor Steve Tauzer, initially believed to be a revenge killing by drug-related enemies. The case takes a shocking turn when former police officer

Key takeaways

The murder was likely committed by someone close to Steve Tauzer, not a random criminal or drug dealer.
Chris Hillis' motive stemmed from his belief that Tauzer had sexually abused his son Lance, though no evidence supported this claim.

Main topics

Murder investigation
Prosecutor's death

Notable quotes

"He was an extraordinary guy. Steve Tauzer was a prosecutor with a heart."

"I never had dreamed in a million years that I'd be... in custody in a cell, looking at the charges I'm looking at."

Conclusion

Chris Hillis was convicted and served nine years in prison for the murder of Steve

Transcript preview

Speaker 3 (0:01) you Speaker 3 (0:09) He was an extraordinary guy. Steve Tauser was a prosecutor with a heart. Speaker 4 (0:15) He was really brilliant. He had like a mandate to become a savior Speaker 3 (0:20) in the world Speaker 4 (0:20) almost. Speaker 3 (0:21) His vicious murders stunned law enforcement and the whole community. Whoever committed this crime had something personal against Mr. Tauser. Investigators suspected revenge, an enemy he'd made fighting crime. Possibly a madman that was full of hate. But... That's not where the evidence would lead them. The Speaker 8 (0:41) DNA indicates to us quite clearly. Speaker 3 (0:43) Aaron Moriarty asks a difficult question. Was the prosecutor hiding a secret? He was completely Speaker 2 (0:50) obsessed with my son. Speaker 3 (0:53) Was Steve Tauser just trying to save a life, and in the end, it cost him his own? He was convinced there was no one he couldn't save. A 48 Hours Mystery. Who killed the prosecutor? Speaker 4 (1:22) 911, what's your emergency? Speaker 5 (1:24) I have to report somebody may be dead, maybe a homicide. Speaker 7 (1:28) The calm voice on the phone that Sunday afternoon. Speaker 3 (1:32) I just see a man laying there on a tarp. Speaker 7 (1:34) Gave no hint of what Bakersfield, California investigators were about to encounter. Speaker 3 (1:41) In Bakersfield, a veteran prosecutor has been found murdered. Speaker 3 (1:47) September the 15th, 2002, Assistant District Attorney Steve Towser was found dead in his garage. Speaker 7 (1:55) Sheriff Carl Sparks, as well as the entire legal community, was stunned by the murder of Steve Towser, the Kern County Assistant District Attorney, for almost 20 years. Speaker 3 (2:07) Steve had a lot of friends in this community, and I count myself as one of those friends. Speaker 5 (2:13) Mr. Steven Towser was a very influential individual. Speaker 7 (2:17) When homicide detective John Solis arrived on the scene, this Speaker 5 (2:21) is the point of entry. He Speaker 7 (2:23) knew this was no ordinary investigation. What Speaker 5 (2:27) we found once we made entry inside the garage was Steven Towser's body, and he was lying face down. Speaker 7 (2:35) Steve Towser had been stabbed repeatedly in the head. Speaker 5 (2:41) Whoever killed Mr. Towser was possibly a madman that was full of hate. Speaker 5 (2:51) Well, of course, I was Speaker 3 (2:51) shocked and very saddened. He was an extraordinary guy. Speaker 7 (2:56) District Attorney Ed Jagles was both Towsers' boss and a longtime friend. Speaker 3 (3:02) He was always loaning or giving money to family members and other people. He was interested in salvaging people. He was just that kind of guy. Speaker 4 (3:12) In a way, he was more like an uncle. And we looked up to him and, you know, just thought he was the greatest. Speaker 7 (3:21) Growing up in Northern California, Steve Tauser was the oldest of 14 children, a role model for his sisters. He liked to play with my kids. Tauser, a lifelong bachelor, was Uncle Steve to over 25 nieces and nephews. It's Speaker 4 (3:38) been really hard on the kids. After Steve died, he was a big part of the whole ranch up there. He had like this mandate to... become a savior in the world almost, to do something really good and helpful to people. Speaker 7 (3:55) That's why he became the prosecutor known for his big heart. Speaker 4 (3:59) Towser was as much an everyman as he was really brilliant. Janet Crosby was Steve Towser's assistant for six years. Every time before he went off to handle a huge case, you'd have to make sure he tucked in his shirt and we'd straighten his collar. He was just a regular guy, but he was completely brilliant. The brutality of his murder is just unthinkable to me. Speaker 7 (4:23) In the years Tauzer was with the DA's office, he made many friends and dangerous enemies, criminals he had helped put away. We investigated different avenues, including drug dealers, drug users. Detective Laura Lopez worked the case with John Solis. Speaker 3 (4:43) However this crime was committed and whoever committed it was very, very forceful and very, very angry. How many Speaker 1 (4:50) weapons? Speaker 5 (4:50) There were three knives that were found. Speaker 1 (4:54) Was there any sign of forced entry? Speaker 5 (4:56) No. No forced entry that we found. Speaker 7 (4:59) That and one other detail quickly changed the focus of the investigation. Speaker 7 (5:06) Empty beer bottles found in Towser's kitchen suggested that he may have even socialized with his killer or killers before the murder. I Speaker 5 (5:15) was thinking that there was some type of a friendly meeting, and then this particular friendly meeting got out of hand, and the result that somebody got hurt. Speaker 7 (5:26) Police also say something about the way Towser was murdered suggested his killer was Speaker 3 (5:32) no stranger. Based on the injuries, I felt that whoever committed this crime had something personal against Mr. Towser. And Speaker 7 (5:40) that's when investigators started looking at a rather unlikely suspect. Speaker 7 (5:46) Christopher Hillis. I Speaker 5 (5:48) had information that Mr. Hillis had an ongoing problem with Steven Tauser regarding Lance Hillis. Speaker 7 (5:55) Lance was Chris Hillis' 22-year-old son. Speaker 7 (6:01) What did you then Speaker 1 (6:02) find inside the house? There Speaker 5 (6:04) was a Bakersfield College identification card. They had the picture of Lance Hillis. There was a backpack from Lance Hillis. So everything's leading me back to Chris Hillis. Speaker 7 (6:16) Chris Hillis is a former cop and an investigator who had worked for Steve Tauser. Police believe there could be motive in the complex relationship between Hillis, his son, and the prosecutor. One month after the death, Chris Hillis is arrested and charged with the murder of Steve Tauser. The Speaker 3 (6:40) Attorney General's office filed a complaint on an open count of murder with the use of knives against Mr. Chris Hillis. Mr. Hillis, we will, in or not guilty plea, the defendant will be remanded to the custody of the sheriff. Thank you. Speaker 2 (6:56) I never had dreamed in a million years that I'd be... Speaker 2 (7:01) in custody in a cell, looking at the charges I'm looking at. Speaker 7 (7:05) Hillis says he is innocent of murder, claiming that authorities are gunning for him to cover up a dark secret about Steve Tauser. He Speaker 2 (7:15) was completely obsessed with my son. Speaker 1 (7:19) That's a strong word, obsessed. It Speaker 2 (7:21) was the word that described it. He was obsessed with my son. You know, I hope I get acquitted. That's what I hope. Speaker 7 (8:02) What makes the arrest of Chris Hillis so shocking is that the man he's accused of killing had once been a friend. Speaker 7 (8:12) Both men had devoted their lives to law enforcement. Hillis as a cop, Steve Tauser as a prosecutor. They worked together at the district attorney's office. Ed Jagles is the DA. He Speaker 3 (8:25) and Chris Hillis were very close friends. Speaker 7 (8:28) But at some point, the friendship turned into a feud over one issue. Chris's 22-year-old son, Lance. Speaker 2 (8:37) Don't let him open your stocking. I miss him terribly. Speaker 7 (8:43) Lance Hillis was Chris's middle son from an earlier marriage. He's Speaker 1 (8:47) handsome. He's very handsome. Speaker 7 (8:50) Chris is now married to Pam. Speaker 1 (8:52) Was Lance close with his dad? Speaker 7 (8:54) Lance was really close with his father. Those who knew Lance said he was a good student, liked girls, and tried hard to please his dad. Speaker 3 (9:03) But you think you're beautiful. Lance Speaker 7 (9:06) was also friends with Steve Tauser, The Bachelor, who lived just down the street, who would often stop by for family dinner. He Speaker 2 (9:14) started showing an interest in Lance when Lance was, you know, in his mid-teens. Speaker 7 (9:20) Lance's brother Jason, now a probation officer, also remembers Tauser's early friendship with his younger brother. He Speaker 4 (9:28) would bring books over. He knew Lance liked to read. He would spend time with him and talk to him, you know. But Speaker 7 (9:33) that picture-perfect family fell apart as Lance grew up. Speaker 2 (9:38) When he got on drugs, everything changed. How old was