A chronology of the fight for justice

December 1948

Frank Carlson is born in San Francisco, California.

December 1957

Eric Carlson (Frank's younger brother) is born in San Francisco.

June 1966

Frank Carlson graduates from George Washington High School in San Francisco.

June 1970

Frank Carlson graduates from San Francisco State University with a bachelor of arts in English-Journalism.

June 1971

Frank and Annette Carlson are married at St. Peter's Church in San Francisco.

June 1973

Frank and Annette purchase a home on Kansas Street in San Francisco.

April 1974

Frank Carlson is murdered and Annette Carlson is raped and tortured at their home on Kansas Street by Angelo Pavageau.

August 1974

Angelo Pavageau is found guilty of Frank's murder. He is sentenced to death in the gas chamber plus 54 years for his additional crimes (including rape, torture, arson, and theft). He is sentenced to serve time on death row until his execution.

December 1976

The California Supreme Court invalidates the death penalty statute then in effect based on the US Supreme Court ruling (Gregg v. Georgia).

January 1977

Angelo Pavageau's death sentence is commuted to the next most severe punishment in effect at the time, which was life in prison with parole.

1977

The Achenbach Foundation for Graphic Arts at de Young Museum in San Francisco creates the Frank M. Carlson Memorial Collection.

April 1980

Angelo Pavageau is denied parole.

1980

Elizabeth “Betty” Carlson (mother of Frank and Eric) is named Millbrae Woman of the Year. Her work on behalf of crime victims is cited as one of the reasons.

May 1981

Angelo Pavageau is denied parole.

May 1982

Angelo Pavageau is denied parole. Elizabeth Carlson joins the staff of Congressman Tom Lantos (D-San Mateo). She will retain this position until 2008 when Congressman Lantos passes away. Elizabeth works primarily with U.S. military veterans and crime victims who need advocacy or assistance from the Congressional Office.

March 1983

Elizabeth and Annette Carlson testify at a presidential commission on violent crime. Elizabeth is cited by U.S. President Ronald Reagan for her work on behalf of crime victims.

June 1983

Angelo Pavageau is denied parole; Sten and Elizabeth Carlson appear at hearing to testify on behalf of the crime victims for the first time. His duration for consideration is extended to two years (from the previous one) thanks to a new law passed in part due to the Carlsons' hard work in this area.

June 1985

Angelo Pavageau is denied parole; Sten and Elizabeth Carlson appear at hearing to testify on behalf of the victims. Elizabeth Carlson co-founds Justice for Murder Victims, an organization that serves as advocates for people who have lost loved ones through violent crime.

June 1987

Angelo Pavageau is denied parole; Sten and Elizabeth Carlson appear at hearing to testify on behalf of the victims. Pavageau elects not to appear at the last minute, thus forfeiting his opportunity.

June 1989

Angelo Pavageau is denied parole; Sten and Elizabeth Carlson appear at hearing to testify on behalf of the victims.

August 1991

Angelo Pavageau is denied parole; Sten and Elizabeth Carlson appear at hearing to testify on behalf of the victims.

September 1993

Angelo Pavageau is denied parole; Sten and Elizabeth Carlson appear at hearing to testify on behalf of the victims.

November 1995

Angelo Pavageau is denied parole; Sten and Elizabeth Carlson appear at hearing to testify on behalf of the victims. His duration for consideration is extended to five years (from previous one) thanks to new law passed in part due to the Carlsons' hard work in this area.

October 2000

Elizabeth “Betty” Carlson contributes to ‘Dead Man Walking,’ an opera in two acts by composer Jake Heggie and librettist Terrence McNally. Based on the narrative book by Sister Helen Prejean, it tells the journey of a Louisiana nun who became the spiritual advisor to inmates on Angola, LA Prison's death row.

June 2001

Angelo Pavageau is denied parole; Sten and Elizabeth Carlson appear at hearing to testify on behalf of the victims.

June 2006

Angelo Pavageau is denied parole; Sten and Elizabeth Carlson appear at hearing to testify on behalf of the victims.

2007

Elizabeth Carlson added to San Mateo County Hall of Fame, in part due to work on behalf of crime victims.

October 2010

Elizabeth Carlson passes away at the age 93 (The Mercury News).

February 2011

Sten Carlson passes away at the age of 98.

October 2012

Angelo Pavageau signs one-year waiver of parole hearing.

October 2013

Angelo Pavageau signs three-year waiver of parole hearing.

April 2017

Angelo Pavageau was once again scheduled for a parole hearing on April 25, 2017. On the last day permissible he signs a three-year waiver of parole hearing. This is the last waiver he is allowed by law.

January 2020

Angelo Pavageau is once again scheduled for a parole hearing (his 16th) to be held on April 15, 2020. The Carlson family will seek support from family, friends, law enforcement and political figures to ensure that Pavageau is never released from jail and spends the rest of his natural life behind bars.

April 2020

On April 15, 2020, at the parole hearing conducted via Skype due to the COVID-19 shelter-in-place restrictions, Pavageau chose not to attend and stipulated through his state-appointed attorney that he was unsuitable for release and offered to defer the next hearing for 3 years. The California Parole Board took the path of least resistance and just accepted his offer when they could have imposed a longer deferral period of time.

April 2023

This parole hearing was conducted via Zoom. The prisoner once again lied about the evening of April 18, 1974 and denied the crime of rape. His recollection of the events leading up to the crime was a new fabrication. The commissioners denied parole because of this, a lack of remorse, along with failure to take required programming for sex crimes. The Carlson family is now focusing on the 2027 hearing.