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Missing Atascadero man murdered, body found

November 3, 2024

By KAREN VELIE

The body of a 32-year-old Atascadero man missing for more than a week was found near a creek in rural Santa Margarita. His alleged killer, a 21-year-old Paso Robles man, is in custody.

Last seen on the morning of Oct. 23, Todd Pinion left a friend a voice message on the evening of Oct. 23 saying he was in Atascadero, he was locked out of a friend’s house, he was cold, he was sitting outside a Motel 6, and that management was telling him to leave.

Pinion’s family reported him missing on Oct. 30, about the time his dog Spock was found deceased on the Cuesta Grade.

On Nov. 2, Atascadero Police Detectives located Mr. Pinion’s body in a remote area near Tassajera Creek in rural Santa Margarita.

Investigators identified 21-year-old Tyler Stevens as a suspect. Officers booked Stevens in the San Luis Obispo County Jail in the early morning hours of Nov. 3 on a charge of homicide. He is being held without bail.

The Atascadero Police Department thanks the community and partner agencies who contributed to the investigation. This remains an active case; anyone with further information is encouraged to contact the Atascadero Police Department at (805) 461-5051.

 


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Todd was a very kind young man. He was gay. I’ve got the sad feeling this was a hate crime. Very sad.


4

He was a very kind man. I fear it as well, I see no other reason.


5

I really doubt it. I’d bet money they knew each other and were somehow romantically associated. There is already a video online from tiktok account @vivi.yum claiming a missing man had sexually assaulted her ex.


-7

I cannot imagine anything this victim could have done to warrant killing him and his dog. If there was any indication of “self-defense”, then the suspect would not be in custody without bail. Look at that little dog. There is not any possible reason, besides pure hate, for killing that little guy.


IMHO, it is way past time our society stopped turning a blind eye to those who would turn people like this young man (and his dog!) into enemies and acceptable targets. In anyone’s mind. Please, people, side with LOVE.


1

I by no means meant to imply that his murder was justified. It’s tragic what has happened here and I hope the murderer is brought to justice. I just don’t like that people are politicizing it by calling it a “hate crime” with absolutely no evidence (with evidence pointing, in fact, to the contrary). As if there are just roving bands of white supremacists in MAGA hats in SLO county looking for gay people to murder. The statistics show that most “hate crimes” are committed by people known by the victim where the primary motivation is not “hate towards gay people”.


-1

Nothing good happens at a Motel 6, this why they are being converted to managed homeless shelters.


-7

Just curious but is the same Tyler Stevens who in December 2022 at the time was19 years old and was arrested in SLO for excessive speeding and driving the wrong way on both Higuera and Broad Streets in SLO and attempted to hit the SLO police officers who tried to stop him? If it is the same person, then why 2 years later is he out of jail? If this is the same person then he should have still been incarcerated and this crime would never have been committed! WTF??


51

Was probably never in jail.


19

I was thinking the same thing when I read that article. It also said he swapped vehicles originally he was driving wrong way in an f150 and switched to a relatives Bronco and caught in that going the wrong way on a different rd.


18