Ohio Man Charged with Murder After Allegedly Stabbing Chula Vista Couple and Fleeing Across States
CHULA VISTA, CALIFORNIA — After an eight-month investigation, authorities have arrested a 43-year-old Ohio man in connection with the stabbing deaths of a Chula Vista couple whose bodies were discovered in February.
The Chula Vista Police Department announced Thursday that Steven Cleveland has been charged with murder and auto theft in the killings of Abdul Hasan and Paz Gojar, both 57, who were found dead inside their Paseo Carina apartment on February 21, 2025.
Cleveland, who was already jailed in Ohio on unrelated charges, is now awaiting extradition to San Diego County.
Police Say Suspect Befriended Victims Before Deadly Attack
Investigators believe Cleveland had befriended Hasan and Gojar before the deadly encounter, which police suspect occurred on January 29.
Authorities say Cleveland stabbed Hasan first, then turned the knife on Gojar. Their bodies remained undiscovered for more than three weeks until a neighbor contacted police, reporting that the pair had not been seen for some time.
When officers entered the apartment around 2:30 p.m. on February 21, they found both victims deceased. The case was immediately upgraded to a homicide investigation.
Multi-State Manhunt Leads to Arrest
After the murders, Cleveland allegedly fled California, traveling across several states. Detectives later learned he had gone to Kentucky in late January.
On April 3, Cleveland was arrested in Knoxville, Tennessee, on unrelated charges. He was later extradited to Ohio, where he remains in custody at the Tri-County Regional Jail. Records show he is also facing rape and sexual battery charges in that state, with an active hold placed for San Diego County.
“This case required extensive collaboration among regional and out-of-state law enforcement agencies,” Chula Vista police said in a statement.
An arrest warrant for murder and auto theft in the Chula Vista case was officially issued in late October, following months of forensic review and investigative coordination.
Victims Remembered
Hasan and Gojar, both 57, were longtime residents of Chula Vista, living not far from the Chula Vista Elite Athletic Training Center. Friends described them as kind and community-oriented, often spending time volunteering locally.
Police have not released a possible motive for the killings, though investigators believe the attack was personal rather than random.
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