Naman Shrestha
CBS’ ’48 Hours: The Boy Across the Street’ delves deep into the tragic death of an 18-year-old freshman named Catina Salarno, who was discovered in a fatal condition on the campus of his college in 1979. The untimely demise rattled the peace of the entire community and shocked the family members and friends. During the swift investigation, the authorities found a series of evidence against someone from the deceased woman’s past. The documentary also features exclusive interviews with Catina’s loved ones and the officials directly or indirectly linked to the investigation.
Catina Salarno Met Her Demise on the First Day She Arrived at Her College
Harriet and Michael Salvatore Salarno were blessed with Catina Rose Salarno, reportedly prematurely, on January 13, 1961, in California. From the moment she was born, Catina fought for her life. Growing up alongside two loving sisters, Regina Salarno-Novello and Nina Salarno, she was regularly hospitalized when she was in elementary school. Due to her medical issues, she could not participate in extracurricular activities in school, including sports. However, when several small tumors were removed from her sinuses, she was able to enjoy running and sports.
Academically, Catina was a very bright student and usually topped her class. In her sophomore year at Mercy High School, she sparked a romantic connection with Steven Burns, who lived right across the street from the Salarnos in San Francisco. He was also in his sophomore year at St. Ignatius High School, where he served as the captain of the football team. Once they started dating in 1977, Steven also formed a close bond with the rest of Catina’s family members. Apart from being a bright National Merit Scholar, she was also an idealistic pre-med student with a whole life ahead of her. After graduating at the top of her class, she managed to get admission to the University of the Pacific in Stockton, California, where she was going to pursue her dreams of becoming a dentist.
When the first day of her freshman year at college arrived on September 3, 1979, 18-year-old Catina was dropped off at the university by her parents, whom she told that she loved them. Unfortunately, by the time the Salarnos returned home, they received the devastating news of Catina’s passing. The bright 18-year-old woman was found in critical condition in a dark and secluded area of the campus. When the authorities arrived at the scene of the crime, they discovered that she had died of a fatal gunshot wound to the back of her head. Catina was rushed to the hospital, where she was later pronounced dead. The detectives wasted no time and launched a homicide investigation to get to the bottom of the case and find the perpetrator responsible for the crime.
Catina Salarno’s Killer Surprised Her on the College Campus
When the investigators dug deep into Catina Salarno’s personal life, they learned about her relationship with Steven Burns. It turned out that she had been trying to break up with him by the time they graduated from high school. According to the deceased’s family and friends, Steven’s behavior towards Catina changed drastically when she began to distance herself from him. As his aggressiveness towards her intensified, he even allegedly gave her death threats, which she and her family didn’t take seriously. Finally, she had reportedly broken up with him in the summer of 1979, just a few weeks before her college started.
The detectives also found out that Steven Burns had enrolled in the same university as Catina, who was surprised to learn about the same. According to her roommate, on the day she arrived at college, he reportedly had convinced her to meet him in the evening for one last time at a secluded spot on campus. Between 7 pm and 8 pm, the former high school sweethearts met, but soon, a heated argument erupted between them when she refused to take him back and get back together. When things got out of control, Steven pulled out a gun that he had stolen from the Salarno family business, where he had recently worked part-time for a while.
He pulled the trigger and shot her to death, before fleeing the scene and returning to his dorm room at the university. Not long after, the former boyfriend was arrested and charged with murder. In 1980, during Steven Burns’ trial, the prosecution presented all the pieces of evidence against the defendant in front of the jury. Despite the defense counsel’s best attempts, the jury could not be convinced. Ultimately, he was found guilty of second-degree murder and sentenced to 17 years in prison. In the years that followed, he and his defense filed numerous appeals for his parole. Although he acknowledged his guilt and apologized to the Salarno family several years later, Catina’s loved ones were unsure if his gesture was genuine.
