Calaveras County Cold Case Re-opened

San Andreas, CA — New information leads to a new look into a 22 year old case in Calaveras County. Sheriff’s Officials say they will re-open the investigation into the death of Kristina Karlsen who died in a 1991 house fire in Murphys while her husband, Karl Karlsen, and three children escaped the flames.

The arrest of Karl Karlsen in New York recently has targeted him as a suspect in his wife’s death. In November, Karl was arrested for second degree murder for the 2008 death of their 23-year-old son. The son was found dead pinned underneath a truck at the family’s farm in Seneca County New York.

Sgt. Chris Hewitt says, “We have decided to re-open the case. We are currently reviewing all of the reports from 1991 to determine how we are going to proceed with the investigation. Who we need to interview, who needs to be re-interviewed from 91 and so forth. We still have other reports we need to gather from other agencies which I can’t say at this time who they are.”

Karlsen walked away with $200,000 in insurance money after the fire.