SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. - The San Luis Obispo Police along with the Department of Justice combine to make an arrest in an attempted homicide from January of this year.
According to police, on January 20, 2012 at approximately 12:30 AM police and fire responded to the intersection of Broad and Monterey regarding a male subject who had been stabbed and was bleeding uncontrollably from his arm. During the initial investigation police learned a group of friends were leaving downtown San Luis Obispo and walking back to their vehicle. Prior to reaching their vehicle the two victims were involved in an altercation with two or more individuals. During the altercation victim Tice was stabbed multiple times in the back and arm. Victim Lerno was stabbed once on the head. During the investigation there were limited details regarding the suspect, due to lack of witnesses and levels of intoxication. The knife used in the stabbing was located by officers and collected as evidence.
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. In August San Luis Obispo Police investigators received the findings from the DOJ lab. Two DNA matches were recovered from the knife, one was DNA from victim Tice and the second was DNA from suspect Sarna. Investigators contacted the victims and witnesses and showed them photo lineups that included a picture of Sarna. 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, 2012 San Luis Obispo police investigators traveled to Vallejo and contacted Sarna with the assistance Solano County Probation. Sarna was taken into custody without further incident. Sarna was transported back to San Luis Obispo and booked into County Jail on a no bail warrant.
Any further questions should be referred to the Press Information Officer. Anonymous information may be referred to Crime Stoppers @ (805) 549-STOP or contact them online at www.slotips.org
