Sonoma County Man Pleads No Contest To Killing Wife, Father

SANTA ROSA, CA — A Santa Rosa man pleaded no contest Tuesday in Sonoma County Superior Court to the first-degree murders of his estranged wife and his father in Santa Rosa two years ago. Dalton James Carlson, 34, faces 75 years to life in prison when he is sentenced March 27, Chief Deputy District Attorney Brian Staebell said.

Carlson killed his father Dale Robert Carlson, 57, in his father's home on Valley Center Drive and his estranged wife Jessica Noel Carlson, 37, at her residence on Glenbrook Drive on Feb. 25, 2017.

His wife's body was found by her 15-year-old daughter and Dalton Carlson's mother after they had not heard from her in a day, Sonoma County prosecutors said. Jessica Carlson died of a gunshot wound to the head and neck from a .45-caliber handgun, according to testimony at the defendant's preliminary hearing.

Dale Carlson's body was found by friends in the kitchen of his home. He was struck at least 11 times with a large mag-style flashlight and died of blunt force trauma to his head, prosecutors said.

Dalton Carlson was facing a misdemeanor charge of battery of his estranged wife and a charge of damaging a communications device at the time of the slayings. He was arrested the day before the murders on suspicion of being under the influence of a drug outside his wife's house and violating a peaceful contact restraining order.

Police officers went to Jessica Carlson's home to investigate a possible burglary and allegedly found Dalton Carlson walking on the roof.

Both the victims' blood was found on Carlson's overalls when he was arrested, according to the district attorney's office.

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Carlson's attorney Jeff Mitchell said testimony at a preliminary hearing indicated Carlson had a "mental break" and he was found in a "psychotic state" with a hammer on the roof of Jessica's home.

Carlson's mental competence was an issue in court since the slayings but his trial was scheduled to start Friday.

The possible 75-years-to-life prison term includes two 25-years-to-life terms for the murders, and a 25-year-to-life term for the use of a gun.

"The murders of Jessica Carlson and Dale Carlson were brutal and have taken a tremendous toll on the family and friends of the victims," District Attorney Jill Ravitch said.

By Bay City News Service

Photo credit: Renee Schiavone/Patch