Family relives horror of teen's murder by high school football star boyfriend 45 years later | Forensic Files

This weekend's 48 Hours follows a family's long fight to keep their daughter's killer behind bars. In 1979,
18-year-old Katina Salerno was killed by her ex-boyfriend. His name's Steven Burns. After 45 years in prison, Burns
was given his 13th parole hearing and Salerno's family feared he could walk free. They don't like that. 48 Hours
correspondent Erin Moriarty spoke with people on both sides of this story. Katina Salerno fell for Steven Burns,
the football star who lived across the street, but it ended in horror in 1979 when Katina tried to break up with him.
18-year-old Steven shot her in the back of the head. It was her first day of college at the University of the
Pacific. The flash of a gun, my whole world just got turned upside down. Katina's younger sister Nina was 14
years old when Steven went on trial. He was sentenced to 17 years to life. But it was also a life sentence for the
Salerno family. They have spent the last 35 years going to parole hearings, determined to keep Burns from getting
out and they're about to go to number 13. Give this family the strength to continue to fight.
Katina's mother Harriet and sisters Regina and Nina know they're in the fight of their lives this time. Keith
Watley, founder of Uncommon Law, an organization that helps incarcerated people through the parole process, says
Steven Burns, whom he has never met, has age on his side. He was only 18 when he
committed the crime. So, California has passed laws to say that we have to consider someone's youth
at the time of the crime. None of us are fully developed in the brain by before we age 25.
And Burns' age now, 64, also works in his favor. Whatley says statistics show people simply age out of crime,
especially violent crime. They say that people who come home from a life sentence
are among the least likely to recidivate. That's just true. I'm afraid of him being released. I'm
afraid that he'll come after us. He is a dangerous murderer that will kill or harm again. And that's just the
bottom line. Erin Moriarty is with us. Listen, Erin, you know, if if you're on the outside
looking in, you say, "45 years, that's a long time. He's 18." But if it's your family member, you're saying, "45 years
is not enough time." Well, you know, I started that way. This story was eye-opening for me. You know,
48 Hours usually ends at the trial and the conviction, and we don't go look at the family, what happens afterwards, and
what they face when he comes up. And I went into it, I have to be honest, thinking, "This has to be a little bit
of vengeance now. 45 years, he's got to be But I And he has done a lot of good things in prison. He helps hospice
patients. He's gotten his college degree. But I sat through that parole hearing, and there were issues about his
behavior now, which the family says means if he gets out even at age 64, he could do the same kind of things to
another woman. It's eye-opening. It honestly is. All right. Did you get to talk to Steven Burns?
No, but I talked to one of his friends from prison. No, I wanted to. He did not speak with us.
going to stay tuned. Erin Moriarty, thank you so much. You can see Erin's full report, The Boy Across the Street,
on 48 Hours tomorrow night at 10:00 9:00 Central here on CBS and streaming on Paramount Plus.

The family of Catina Salarno, who was fatally shot in 1979 by her 18-year-old boyfriend, Steven Burns, has spent the last 35 years going to parole hearings. "48 Hours" correspondent Erin Moriarty spoke with the Salarno family about their decades-long fight to keep Burns behind bars.

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Brief Summary

A family's fight against the parole of Katina Salerno's killer, Steven Burns, raises questions about justice and rehabilitation.

Key points

A Family's Fight for Justice. 48 Hours follows a family's long battle to keep their daughter's killer behind bars.
The Horror of 1979. Katina Salerno was killed by her ex-boyfriend, Steven Burns, on her first day of college.
The Parole Hearing Dilemma. After 45 years, Steven Burns faces his 13th parole hearing, raising fears for the Salerno family.
The Complexity of Redemption. Erin Moriarty explores the duality of Steven Burns' prison life and the family's trauma.

Episode highlights

Episode quotes

Give this family the strength to continue to fight.

1:16WatchMay 2, 2025

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