Carole DeFleice, also known as Nina Star, had been in San Diego for about six weeks prior to her murder. During this time she had been working as a prostitute along El Cajon Boulevard. She was living at the Sea Point Motel and taking her dates to the Aztec Motel at the dead-end of 4400 Camino Del Rio South. DeFleice was last seen alive on El Cajon Boulevard at around 9 p.m. on Friday night, February 25, 1984. DeFleice told a close friend she had plans to get picked up for a date at about 11:00 p.m.

On that same evening, a little after 11 p.m., DeFleice's friend was being driven past that same area when she spotted DeFleice lying on the ground. She had been stabbed to death.