Jury Finds Stevens Guilty of Murder in Prostitute’s Death

A jury deliberated for about a day before finding Alan (Buzzard) Stevens guilty of first-degree murder Wednesday in the 1988 killing of a prostitute.

Stevens, 48, of San Marcos was convicted of killing Cynthia McVey, 26, of Livermore, whose body was discovered Nov. 29, 1988, near an isolated stretch of road on the Pala Indian Reservation.

San Diego Superior Court Judge David Gill set sentencing for Dec. 13.

Stevens’ murder conviction represents the sole homicide conviction in the Metropolitan Homicide Task Force investigation of the 43 mysterious deaths of women, mostly prostitutes, whose bodies have been found in North and East County since 1985.

Deputy Dist. Atty. Brian Michaels would not rule out prosecuting Stevens in other killings under investigation, but the McVey murder was the only one in which Stevens was charged.

“Many of the Task Force members believe he is responsible for other murders,” said Michaels after the verdict. “I can say the Task Force is working hard on these killings.”

Michaels said Stevens’ conviction represents the ninth case in which a conviction has occurred in cases investigated by the Metropolitan Homicide Task Force.

The other cases involved assaults on prostitutes who lived to testify and identify their assailants and the pandering and obstruction-of-justice case of madam Karen Wilkening and her former attorney.

Stevens’ attorney, Milly Durovic, left the courtroom through a side entrance and could not be reached for comment later.

In final arguments Tuesday, Durovic said that Stevens apparently disposed of McVey’s body, as his fingerprints were found on a piece of tape holding a dirty sock in her mouth.

But Durovic said that Stevens, who did not testify, should only be found guilty of being an accessory to murder and that no witness was produced to say the two were together or that he killed McVey.

Stevens showed no reaction to the verdict rendered by the nine-man, three-woman jury.

The jurors deliberated for two hours Tuesday after closing arguments and returned their verdict Wednesday afternoon.

Stevens remains in County Jail without bail.