What to know
- Carlsbad resident Lisa Thorborg was found dead on a hiking trail through Hosp Grove Park in Carlsbad on November 23, 2020
- A 17-year-old suspect was arrested for her murder on December 14, 2020
- At a hearing on December 22, the testimony revealed that the teenager’s DNA was found in Thorborg’s shorts; detectives said there was no evidence of theft or sexual assault in the murder
The DNA of a 17-year-old boy accused of fatally stabbing a woman last month on a hiking trail in Carlsbad was found in the victim’s shorts, according to a testimony heard Tuesday in the San Diego juvenile court.
The teenager – whose name was not released by the police because he was a minor – is accused of the murder of Lisa Thorborg, 68.
Thorborg’s body was found on the Hosp Grove trail on the morning of November 23. His death caused shock waves in Carlsbad.
For three weeks, there were no answers about who had killed his grandmother.
On December 14, the suspected teenager was arrested on a beach in Carlsbad in connection with the murder of Thorborg. In his indictment last week, he denied all charges.
Police arrested a 17-year-old Carlsbad resident in connection with the stabbing of a woman on a popular hiking trail. Alexis Rivas of NBC 7 has more.
Tuesday’s hearing revealed some of the preliminary facts that prompted Carlsbad police to arrest the boy, who still faces the possibility of being charged as an adult.
If a judge decides that the teenager should be tried as an adult, the defendant will be entitled to life without parole.
Based on the evidence heard on Tuesday, San Diego Superior Court judge Richard Monroy ruled that there was sufficient evidence to allow the case to proceed and for the boy, who pleaded not guilty to the charges last week, to remain in detention. .
Among the details revealed at the hearing are that the boy’s DNA was found in Thorborg’s shorts and that surveillance footage from the nearby area captured a boy resembling the defendant fleeing the park about 15 minutes after police believed Thorborg was killed.
Surveillance images and plate reader data also showed that the boy’s grandmother left him near the park about an hour before the attack.
After Thorborg’s death, the police installed a camera in the park. Police claimed that the camera captured images of the suspect venturing along the trail on several occasions after November 23, often barefoot and carrying slippers.
Two pairs of flip-flops, including one believed to belong to the teenager, were found near the crime scene.
He was reportedly contacted by the police in early December and ran away from
police officers, who took him into custody, at which time his DNA was collected.
The boy was arrested again on December 14, this time in connection with Thorborg’s deadly stabbing.
The detectives did not reveal the suspected motive for the murder, but testified that the victim was not stolen or sexually abused.
No pending suspects are being sought in the case, according to
Carlsbad police lieutenant Jason Jackowski.
The teenager is expected to return to court on January 25, 2021.
Police arrested a 17-year-old Carlsbad resident in connection with the stabbing of a woman on a popular hiking trail. Alexis Rivas of NBC 7 has more.
The death of Lisa Thorborg
Thorborg was a beloved grandmother who moved to Carlsbad with her family just 6 months ago.
On the morning of November 23, Carlsbad Police Department detectives believe that Thorborg took a walk alone on a trail that runs through Hosp Grove Park – just blocks from his home.
Investigators said Thorborg posted some messages on social media in the days leading up to her murder asking if there was anyone nearby who wanted to take a walk with her.
“Walking someone?” she posted on NextDoor, a social media site that connects neighbors. “I would love the company.”
The Carlsbad Police Department is still investigating these messages and whether they had anything to do with Thorborg’s death.
The crime made residents of Carlsbad nervous for several weeks.
Earlier this month, police released a message on social media asking interested parties not to try to take justice into their own hands. Investigators were concerned about social media posts circulating in the community suggesting that civilians, frustrated by the lack of progress in the case, would look for nearby homeless camps looking for suspects.
After the suspect’s arrest on December 14, Thorborg’s family issued a statement saying they were grateful for the “demonstration of support, love and generosity” in the Carlsbad community.
After news of the arrest, Thorborg’s family released the following statement, in part:
“Our family moved here with Lisa just 6 months before her tragic death, and in a year dominated by COVID, there weren’t many opportunities to meet our new neighbors and make friends. Since the shocking news of Lisa’s death, however, there has been an endless display of kindness and generosity that literally brings us to tears and warms our hearts. From organizing the ‘Finish Lisa’s Walk’ event at Hosp Grove to the many meals, flowers and gifts we receive, we want you to know that we feel VERY loved and supported by this incredible community. “
The family said they were confident the police would help bring Thorborg justice.
Over the weekend after Thorborg’s death, hundreds from the Carlsbad community and beyond organized the “Completed Lisa’s Walk”, a symbolic walk on the same trail where the victim was found dead a week earlier.
The community wanted to end the journey that Thorborg was unable to take.
It’s been almost three weeks since someone stabbed Lisa Thorborg, 68, to death on a hiking trail, reports Alexis Rivas of NBC 7