CHULA VISTA (KGTV) — An Ohio man has been arrested in connection with the deadly stabbing of two people in Chula Vista.
According to the Chula Vista Police Department, the victims, 57-year-old Abdul Hasan and 71-year-old Paz Gojar, were found dead at their home around 2:30 PM on February 21, 2025.
Chula Vista police say the cause of death was initially unclear due to the condition of the victims, but during the autopsies, investigators learned that the man and woman had been fatally stabbed.
According to a press release from the Chula Vista Police Department, investigators later identified 43-year-old Steven Cleveland, of Ohio, as a person of interest in the murders. Detectives learned that Cleveland fled to Kentucky shortly after the killings.
The press release states Cleveland was located and arrested in Knoxville, Tennessee, on an unrelated warrant on April 3, 2025. While Cleveland was in custody, police say they were able to determine that Cleveland fatally stabbed Hasan and Gojar on January 29, 2025, and fled the scene.
Chula Vista police say on October 22, 2025, an arrest warrant was issued for Cleveland, charging him with multiple offenses including murder and auto theft. They say the warrant has since been served, and Cleveland remains in custody at the Tri-County Regional Jail in Mechanicsburg, Ohio, awaiting extradition to San Diego County.
“In complex and lengthy investigations like this one, the community often doesn’t see the tireless work happening behind the scenes. Our detectives, crime lab personnel, and so many others – including members of the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners in Ohio, Kentucky, and Tennessee – played key roles in identifying and locating the suspect. I’m deeply proud of their dedication and teamwork, and our hearts remain with the victims’ families as we continue to pursue justice on their behalf,” said Chula Vista Police Chief Roxana Kennedy.
According to the Chula Vista Police Department, the case has been submitted to the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office, which has filed murder and other related criminal charges.
