Coroner identifies victim in Sonoma State University stabbing

Authorities identified Tuesday the Santa Rosa man stabbed to death at Sonoma State University but released few other details about what sparked the attack two days earlier.

Steven John Garcia, 26, was found dead Sunday after a fight between him and another Santa Rosa man broke out in a bedroom of an apartment on the southwest end of the Rohnert Park campus, authorities said.

Police that evening arrested 19-year-old Tyler J. Bratton, who’s being held without bail in Sonoma County Jail on suspicion of murder.

Petaluma Police Lt. Tim Lyons wouldn’t say Tuesday if the death was related to gangs, drugs or a romantic dispute. Several students said they saw Bratton leaving the apartment with a pocketknife and blood on his hands.

“Witnesses are still being interviewed,” Lyons said.

He declined to provide additional details to avoid influencing potential witnesses that have yet to be interviewed.

“Nothing has been ruled out,” he said.

He said Garcia and Bratton weren’t SSU students but were friends with a freshman woman who lived in the dorm, located in the Sauvignon Village freshman housing complex. Lyons said there were at least four people in the apartment at the time of the stabbing, but he didn’t provide additional information on the two others in the room.

Petaluma police took over the homicide investigation Sunday evening as it has more resources than the smaller SSU police force.

On Tuesday, the yellow crime scene tape at the Sauvignon Village dorm where the stabbing occurred was ripped in half for a cleaning crew to disinfect and clean the place.

The homicide was an isolated incident and there is no threat to students, SSU spokesman Paul Gullixson said. There have been no discussions on changing policy for who can exit and enter the public university, he said.

“We’re not running a boarding school,” Gullixson said. “We’re not asking residents to check in guests.”

He said the university brought in extra security Monday to provide “a sense of security,” but campus activity returned to normal Tuesday as students raced to class to take their spring semester finals.

“We’re just trying to think about finals - we kind of have to,” said Justin Farhang, an 18-year-old freshman who lives in Sauvignon Village. “But what happened Sunday is still weighing heavily on our minds.”

You can reach Staff Writer Nick Rahaim at 707-521-5203 or nick.rahaim?@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @nrahaim.