Sep 16, 2026 · 46 min · 16 segments
Prosecutor Steve Tauzer was found brutally murdered in his Bakersfield, California garage. At first, investigators suspected a revenge killing by drug dealers. But as they dug deeper, they turned…
911.
What's your emergency?
Uh, I, I have to report somebody may be dead.
Is-
Maybe a homicide.
I just see a man laying there on a tarp
... gave no hint of what Bakersfield, California, investigators were about to encounter.
[camera shutter clicking] September the 15th, 2002, Assistant District Attorney Steve Towser was found dead in his garage.
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.
Steve had a lot of friends in this community, and I count myself as one of those friends.
Mr. Steven Towser was a very influential individual.
This is the point of entry
What we found once we made entry inside the garage was Steven Towser's body, and he was lying face down.
Whoever killed Mr. Towser was possibly a, a madman that was full of hate.
Well, of course, I was shocked and, uh, very saddened.
He was an extraordinary, uh, guy.
He was a-
District Attorney Ed Jagels was both Towser's boss and a longtime friend.
911.
What's your emergency?
Uh, I, I have to report somebody may be dead.
Is-
Maybe a homicide.
I just see a man laying there on a tarp
... gave no hint of what Bakersfield, California, investigators were about to encounter.
[camera shutter clicking] September the 15th, 2002, Assistant District Attorney Steve Towser was found dead in his garage.
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.
Steve had a lot of friends in this community, and I count myself as one of those friends.
Mr. Steven Towser was a very influential individual.
This is the point of entry
What we found once we made entry inside the garage was Steven Towser's body, and he was lying face down.
Whoever killed Mr. Towser was possibly a, a madman that was full of hate.
Well, of course, I was shocked and, uh, very saddened.
He was an extraordinary, uh, guy.
He was a-
District Attorney Ed Jagels was both Towser's boss and a longtime friend.
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