May 6, 2026 – Placer County Sheriff's Office officials report that a conviction marks Joseph Foster’s fourth murder conviction and brings resolution to a 34-year-old homicide.

On Thursday, April 30, 65-year-old Joseph Foster was sentenced to over 75 years to life in state prison for the August 6, 1992, murder of 85-year-old Alwin Schoefer, bringing long-awaited resolution to a homicide investigation that spanned nearly 34 years.

Schoefer was found dead inside his Weimar home after it was set on fire. When Firefighters arrived, they found padlocks secured on the exterior doors. Once the fire was out, it was discovered Schoefer had been beaten, stabbed and shot. Investigators later determined the fire had been intentionally set inside the home before the doors were locked.

A homicide investigation began immediately, with evidence collected in both Placer and Nevada counties. Among the evidence was a bag recovered along a road in Nevada County containing Schoefer’s wallet, identification, coin purse and clothing items.

The case remained active for years before eventually going cold. When the Cold Case Unit re-examined the investigation, they identified evidence suitable for DNA testing. In 2025, a breakthrough came when DNA developed from evidence collected in 1992 linked Foster to Schoefer’s murder.

Investigators believe Foster was familiar with Schoefer and lived within walking distance of his home. Detectives believe robbery may have been a motive, as Schoefer was known to carry large sums of cash rather than use banks.

Following the DNA hit linking Foster to Schoefer’s murder, a murder warrant was issued for Foster, and he was transferred into the custody of the Placer County Sheriff’s Office on March 18, 2025. On March 30, 2026, Foster pleaded guilty to first-degree murder. The Placer County District Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case and secured Foster’s conviction, bringing the decades-old homicide to sentencing and ensuring he will remain accountable for the murder of Alwin Schoefer.

Foster was already serving multiple life sentences for the January 7, 1991, murders of a man and woman in Weimar, a case the Placer County Sheriff’s Office solved through DNA in 2017. Foster was also convicted in 1982 of voluntary manslaughter in the 1980 shooting death of another man near Weimar. With this conviction, Foster has been held responsible for four murders, all occurring within the Weimar area.

“I applaud the hard work of our Cold Case Unit and investigators, who continue to meticulously comb through every cold case in our county and ensure every piece of evidence that could lead to a killer is tested,” said Placer County Sheriff Wayne Woo. “Their expertise in these decades-old cases is paying off. Our work isn’t done. If anything, cases like this strengthen our resolve to keep pushing forward and finding justice.”

This case reflects years of dedicated work by investigators and highlights the strength of the partnership within the criminal justice system in Placer County. The Placer County Sheriff’s Office Cold Case Unit consists of both detectives and investigators from the Placer County Sheriff’s Office as well as an investigator from the Placer County District Attorney's Office. The Cold Case Unit reopened and advanced the investigation, working closely with the Placer County District Attorney’s Office prosecution team, which carried the case through conviction and sentencing.

Nearly 34 years later, a killer has been held accountable, proving cold cases are never forgotten.

Source & photos: Placer County Sheriff’s Office