February 28, 2024 - Inyo County Sheriff’s Office officials report that Sheriff Stephanie Rennie has announced the arrest of a suspect in the 2023 murder of 34-year-old Dorothy Erin McQueen of Independence.

Steven James Allen, 45, also of Independence, was taken into custody at about 3:22 p.m. Tuesday, February 27 by members of the Inyo County Sheriffs and District Attorney's offices. Allen was arrested for and will face charges of Penal Code section 187, Murder.

The arrest comes after an intensive, 10-month-long investigation following the discovery of a deceased female - later identified as McQueen - on April 10, 2023, in a culvert outside of Independence off of Mazourka Canyon Road. With assistance from the D.A.'s Office and Mono County Sheriff’s Office, investigators worked thoroughly to collect evidence, follow up on leads, and gather information. That thoroughness paid off on Tuesday with the return of lab results from the California Department of Justice.

Evidence gathered during the course of the investigation had been sent to the DOJ laboratory for analysis, which was recently completed. The results were returned to the Inyo County's Sheriff’s Office on Tuesday and coupled with evidence gathered by Inyo Sheriff’s investigators, led to Allen's arrest.

McQueen would have turned 35 on February 5, 2024. She is survived by her mother, Carolyn, her son, Lincoln, and numerous other family members and friends.  

The Inyo County Sheriff’s Office and District Attorney's Office extend their sincere condolences to McQueen's family, friends, and other loved ones.

The investigation is still ongoing. No additional information will be released at this time to protect the integrity of the case. The public is reminded that a suspect in any criminal case is presumed to be not guilty until proven otherwise in a court of law.

The Inyo County Sheriff’s Office would again like to thank the public for its ongoing support. Anyone with information regarding this case is urged to contact Investigator Connolly at (760) 878-0383, option 4.

Source: Inyo County Sheriff’s Office