SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — Two days into 1994, a man driving to work along Tourmaline Street made a grim discovery that would launch a decades-long murder investigation. On January 2, just before 5 a.m., he spotted a car that had crashed and noticed a man slumped over on the porch of 778 Tourmaline Street.
When San Diego police arrived, they found the man dead with stab wounds. It appeared he had been trying to get help from residents inside the home.
"And then he sees our victim slumped over on the porch in front of 778 Tourmaline, and then he calls 911," said Detective Tracey Barr of the San Diego Police Department's Cold Case Unit.
The victim was identified as 40-year-old Clive Bland.
As detectives investigated, they realized the house wasn't where the murder occurred. Their detective work led them down the road to a trail of evidence that revealed where Bland was attacked and his desperate attempt to survive.
"If you look north here about 1000 ft, that's essentially where our crime scene is," Barr said.
Investigators followed a trail of blood to the beach where they believe the murder happened. The blood trail proved crucial to understanding the sequence of events.
"Super helpful because like I said, we would have been so focused up the street thinking that's our crime scene," Barr said when asked about the importance of the blood evidence.
At the time of his death, Bland was a janitor living with his father in the Clairemont area. The motive in his murder remains a mystery, but police believe he likely met someone at Tourmaline, and the encounter turned violent.
"We know this because the detectives at the time were able to follow a blood trail along the sand, which then led up this ramp, which then ultimately led to the parking lot," Barr said.
Police say Bland, despite his injuries, made it to his car and drove up the road. Crime scene photos from that day show evidence markers placed on the beach documenting his movements all the way back to the house where he was found.
Blood evidence on the doorbell showed Bland was trying to ring for help, but investigators later discovered the doorbell wasn't working.
The case eventually went cold with no suspects ever identified. But 31 years later, SDPD is taking another look, hoping to solve a murder they've never forgotten.
Bland had no connection to the home where he tried to get help. Police hope someone remembers his car, the scene, or has heard about the murder and will come forward with information about who killed him.
When asked what she would say to the killer if they're still out there, Barr was direct.
"If you're out there and you see this, just know that we never give up on these cases and your time is coming," Barr said.
Anyone with information about Clive Bland's murder is asked to contact the San Diego Police Department.
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