Solano Man Suspect in Double Stabbing

A Solano man is under arrest for allegedly stabbing two San Luis Obispo County residents. According to the San Luis Obispo Police Department, on January 20 about 12:30 a.m., police and fire units responded to the intersection of Broad and Monterey streets regarding a male subject who had been stabbed and was bleeding uncontrollably from his arm.

Austin Sarna

According to SLOPD, during their initial investigation police learned a group of friends were leaving downtown San Luis Obispo and walking back to their vehicle.

Police say prior to reaching their vehicle the two victims were involved in an altercation with two or more individuals, and during the altercation one victim, Trevor Tice, 27, of Atascadero, was stabbed multiple times in the back and arm.

Police say the second victim, Zachary Lerno, 26, also of Atascadero, was stabbed once on the head. According to SLOPD Lieutenant Jeff Smith, “(There was) no gang involvement.”

Details regarding the suspect were limited due to lack of witnesses and levels of intoxication. However, the knife used in the stabbing was located by officers and collected as evidence.

According to investigators, after the knife had been photographed and processed by the San Luis Obispo Evidence Technician, it was sent to the Department of Justice (DOJ) lab for the processing of possible DNA evidence.

Police say in August SLOPD investigators received the findings from the DOJ lab and two DNA matches were recovered from the knife, one was DNA from victim Tice and the second was DNA from the stabbing suspect, Austin Sarna, 21, of Vallejo.

Investigators say they contacted the victims and witnesses and showed them photo lineups that included a picture of Sarna. Police say several of the witnesses identified Sarna as being one of the individuals involved in the altercation with the two victims.

Based on the new evidence investigators were able to obtain an arrest warrant for Sarna. On September 19, SLOPD investigators traveled to Vallejo and contacted Sarna with the assistance Solano County Probation. Sarna was taken into custody without further incident and transported back to San Luis Obispo and booked into County Jail on a no bail warrant.

When asked if there was any other suspects, Smith said, “There was only one suspect – Sarna.”

Read More:

San Luis Obispo Tribune: DNA Evidence Links Vallejo Man to January Stabbing in SLO

EdHat: Attempted Murder Arrest

KSBY: DNA Evidence Leads to Arrest in January Stabbing