Shivangi Sinha
In the early 2010s, Dalene Carlson was at an exciting point in her life. She was preparing to start college and enjoying her newfound independence. In August 2011, she told her family she was heading out for the evening, but she never returned home. Because this was completely out of character, a missing-person report was filed promptly, and an investigation was launched immediately. Police began retracing her steps and soon identified a suspect they believed held crucial answers. A&E’s ‘Interrogation Raw: Vanished Into the Night’ explores the case in depth and shows how it was ultimately solved.
Dalene Carlson’s Remains Were Found by a Farmer in California
Dalene Janice “Day Day” Carlson was the daughter of Narlene Flagg and David Carlson. They welcomed her into their life on February 22, 1988. She and her sister, Narja M. Goonan, spent their early childhood in Stockton, California, before the family later relocated to Sandpoint, Idaho. Dalene attended Southside Elementary in Cocolalla and then Washington Elementary in Sandpoint. However, by her sophomore year of high school, she had returned to California to study at Placer High School in Auburn. She ultimately graduated from Sandpoint High School in 2006 and was excited to work and begin living independently.
Dalene was known for her bright spirit, as she loved adventure, sought out new experiences, and dreamed of seeing as much of the world as possible. She held a variety of restaurant jobs and also worked at a magazine company for a time. So when an opportunity arose for her to return to Stockton, California, she gladly accepted it. She moved in with her aunt, Margaret Baker, and felt content with the direction her life was taking. By 2011, she had decided to enroll at San Joaquin Delta College in Stockton to study Child Development. But the future she envisioned was never realized.
On August 6, 2011, she went out with friends and never returned home. Around 3:30 am, her aunt tried calling her multiple times but received no answer. Margaret immediately sensed that something was wrong because Dalene had promised to return. It was completely unlike her, so Margaret quickly alerted the police. An investigation was launched, and the family finally received answers on October 15, 2011, when a farmer working in a cornfield near Escalon, California, reported discovering human remains. DNA testing confirmed they belonged to Dalene. The autopsy revealed she had died from a gunshot wound to the back of her head and had also been shot twice in the abdomen. Investigators also recovered several .22-caliber shell casings from the scene.
Dalene Carlson’s Killer Changed His Account of the Night Several Times
When Dalene Carlson was reported missing, police first focused on the people she was last seen with. They learned she had gone out clubbing with her ex-boyfriend, Jacob Evangelisti, and a friend, Jason Gilley. Jacob’s alibi was quickly verified, but Jason’s statements raised concerns. He claimed that after Jacob left, he and Dalene hung out for a while, but he left when his grandmother called about his sick son. He insisted that he hadn’t seen Dalene afterward. However, CCTV footage contradicted parts of his account. Something that raised alarm was that the police saw Jason placing his hand on Dalene’s waist, which she shrugged off before walking away.
They also noticed discrepancies in Jason’s timeline. Although he claimed he had left long before Dalene, CCTV showed that the two had walked out just minutes apart. Police obtained a search warrant for his home but found nothing directly linking him to Dalene’s disappearance. However, the large quantity of marijuana discovered there led to his arrest on drug possession charges, giving investigators a chance to question him further. By then, police had also recovered footage from a nearby convenience store showing Jason and Dalene together buying alcohol. This clearly contradicted his statement that he had left without her, suggesting he was hiding something. During the interrogation, Jason continued to shift his story several times.
After extensive questioning, Jason finally admitted that he and Dalene had left together and gone back to his house. However, he alleged they had been intimate, after which she supposedly became upset and left on her own. At that point, investigators had no solid evidence to contradict his version of events. But once Dalene’s remains were found, the case took a decisive turn. Jason’s uncle informed police that Jason had borrowed his gun and returned it shortly after Dalene disappeared. When investigators recovered the weapon, they found that its casings matched those discovered at the crime scene. Police alleged that Jason had assaulted Dalene and then fatally shot her to prevent her from identifying him. He was subsequently charged with rape, first-degree murder, and kidnapping.
Jason Gilley is in a California Prison Today
Jason Gilley remained in custody as his trial began in October 2013. The recording of his police interrogation became a key piece of evidence and played a significant role in the proceedings. He was ultimately convicted of first-degree murder with a firearm enhancement and kidnapping. However, the rape charge resulted in a mistrial because the jury could not reach a unanimous decision. Gilley received a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole, plus an additional 25 years for the firearm enhancement. Now 40 years old, he is incarcerated at Avenal State Prison in Kings County, California, where he will spend the rest of his life.
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