A decades-old homicide investigation that went cold has now reached a turning point, decades after it first began.

According to the Placer County Sheriff’s Office in an online post, a man has been sentenced in connection with the 1992 killing of 85-year-old Alwin Schoefer, bringing resolution to a case that remained unsolved for nearly 34 years.

On Thursday, April 30, 65-year-old Joseph Foster was sentenced to more than 75 years to life in state prison for Schoefer’s murder.

Investigators said Schoefer was found dead inside his home in Weimar after a fire was reported on August 6, 1992. When firefighters arrived, they found padlocks secured on the exterior doors. After the fire was extinguished, it was determined Schoefer had been beaten, stabbed, and shot. Authorities said the fire had been intentionally set inside the home before the doors were locked.

A homicide investigation began immediately, with evidence collected in both Placer and Nevada counties. Among the items recovered was a bag found along a road in Nevada County containing Schoefer’s wallet, identification, coin purse, and clothing.

Despite early efforts, the case eventually went cold.

Years later, the Cold Case Unit reopened the investigation and identified evidence that could be tested for DNA. In 2025, investigators said DNA from evidence collected in 1992 linked Foster to the killing.

Detectives believe Foster knew Schoefer and that he lived within walking distance of Schoefer's home. Investigators said robbery may have been a motive, noting Schoefer was known to carry large amounts of cash rather than use banks.

After the DNA link was established, a murder warrant was issued, and Foster was transferred to the custody of the Placer County Sheriff’s Office on March 18, 2025. He later pleaded guilty to first-degree murder on March 30.

Prosecutors said Foster was already serving multiple life sentences for the 1991 killings of a man and woman in Weimar, a case solved through DNA in 2017. He was also convicted in 1982 of voluntary manslaughter in connection with a 1980 shooting death near Weimar.

With this latest conviction, authorities said Foster has now been held responsible for four killings in the same area.

“I applaud the hard work of our Cold Case Unit and investigators, who continue to meticulously comb through every cold case in our county and ensure every piece of evidence that could lead to a killer is tested,” said Placer County Sheriff Wayne Woo. “Their expertise in these decades-old cases is paying off. Our work isn’t done. If anything, cases like this strengthen our resolve to keep pushing forward and finding justice.”

Officials said the case highlights the work of the Cold Case Unit, which includes detectives and investigators from both the sheriff’s office and the district attorney’s office who work together to reexamine unsolved cases.

Nearly 34 years after the killing, investigators say the case shows that cold cases are not forgotten.

(The Placer County Sheriff’s Office contributed to this story.)