Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: 04/20/07

Contact person(s):

Media Coordinator, Donna Edwards - 565-3099 Media Spokesperson, Assistant District Attorney Christine Cook

Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, California

CONVICTED KILLER DENIED PAROLE

District Attorney Stephan Passalacqua announced that the California Board of Prison Terms denied parole to Clifford Lee Bair, convicted of the January, 1984, murder of Theresa Aiken, a Bodega Bay resident. A Sonoma County jury convicted Bair of First Degree Murder on September 28, 1984, and Bair was sentenced to 25 years-to-Life in prison.

"We will continue our efforts to protect the community from those who commit such heinous acts of violence against our most vulnerable citizens," District Attorney Passalacqua said.

In January of 1984, Bair stole a pickup truck in the city of Visalia, then drove to Bodega Bay in search of his estranged wife. Upon arriving in Bodega Bay, Bair set the stolen truck ablaze. Bair spent two nights at a local motel, then went to the nearby residence of 86-year-old Theresa Aiken, for whom Bair had once done yard work. Bair forcibly entered Ms. Aiken's residence, then disconnected the telephone and took Ms. Aiken's eye glasses. Bair then proceeded to severely bind and gag Ms. Aiken on the floor of a rear bedroom, then placed a mattress and bedding on top of her. When Rosie Fomasi, a friend of Ms. Aiken, came to the residence to deliver mail, she was also tied up by Bair and left on the livingroom floor. Bair then took the keys to Ms. Aiken's car and drove from the residence. Ms. Aiken's body was discovered the following morning – an autopsy revealed Ms. Aiken had died as a result of traumatic shock.

Deputy District Attorney Phillip J. Abrams, appearing on behalf of the Sonoma County District Attorney's Office, urged the Board to deny parole, stating Mr. Bair's crimes were unbelievably callous and inhumane, and that if released, Mr. Bair would present an unreasonable threat to the community.

The Board of Prison Terms denied parole, and held that Mr. Bair would not be entitled to another parole hearing until 2010.