Late one September night in 1982, after a night playing video games and mini-golf, 15-year-old Palo Alto High School student Karen Stitt waited to catch a bus near El Camino Real and South Wolfe Road.

The next morning, her naked body was found dumped behind a blood-stained cinder block, about 100 yards from the bus stop. She had been raped and stabbed 59 times. Her killer remained at large for forty years.

That is, until Sunnyvale Detective Matt Hutchinson took up the case. Detectives used forensic genealogy — the same technology used to catch the Golden State Killer in 2018 — to determine the killer was Gary Ramirez, arresting him in his Maui home in August 2022. In February 2025, Ramirez pleaded no contact to Stitt’s murder.

Earlier this year, Hutchinson’s efforts caused ABC’s 20/20 to feature him. The national television newsmagazine did a deep dive on the operations of working cold cases in its show “Badass Detective,” which aired in early January. 

In 2011, Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen reopened his office’s cold case unit. The DA’s cold case unit works closely with Sunnyvale’s Department of Public Safety (DPS). Since its reestablishment, the DA’s cold case unit has solved 30 cases dating back as early as 1969. Hutchinson has solved eight of those cases.

The program shines a spotlight on Hutchinson, but the national attention demonstrates the cooperation within the city and between other agencies.   

Sunnyvale Police Chief Daniel Pistor wrote in an email that he is “very proud” of Hutchison’s outstanding work on these homicide cases. He demonstrated exceptional dedication and perseverance in the pursuit of justice for the victims, Pistor added.

“While Sunnyvale remains a very safe city, when crimes do occur, the Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety will never stop pursuing suspects and holding offenders accountable,” Pistor wrote. 

Detective Hutchison exemplifies the “tremendous talent within our department and the tenacity of our officers,” Pistor wrote. 

Mayor Larry Klein wrote in an email that the city was “delighted” that 20/20 showcased Hutchison’s achievements, adding that the city “could not be prouder.” 

“Sunnyvale’s reputation as a safe city is thanks in part to our unique public safety model and the incredible work our officers do every day,” Klein wrote. “Hopefully, the story will inspire law enforcement agencies and give hope to other victims’ families that these types of crimes will be solved.”

Contact David Alexander at d.todd.alexander@gmail.com