Police make arrest in thrift store killing

Andrew Edwards

Police arrested 46-year-old John Steadman Nilsen last week. They

believe he shot and killed 19-year-old Shawna Wolfgram during a

robbery at the 99 Cents Only Store in January.

Nilsen could face the death penalty if convicted because the

murder was committed during an armed robbery. He is being held

without bail at Orange County Jail.

Police took Nilsen into custody on March 24 at his home in the Los

Angeles neighborhood of Mar Vista, near Marina del Rey.

Police would not disclose any details of the three-month

investigation, or discuss any evidence found at Nilsen’s residence

linking him to the murder.

But detectives feel they caught the right man.

“We’re very confident that Nilsen is the suspect,” Sgt. Dave

Bunetta said.

Wolfgram was killed on Jan. 29 at the 99 Cents Only Store in the

16600 block of Beach Boulevard when she tried to stop an armed man

from stealing money from her cash register.

“I think her downfall was she was too tough, she was too strong,”

her mother, Yvonne Wolfgram, said.

Shawna Wolfgram faced her share of hardships during her short

life. Her parents were divorced, she was diagnosed with diabetes as a

teenager and her first child died when she was 17. But she was

getting her life on track when she was killed, her mother said. She

had taken on her first job at the store, was working to get her

diploma from Coast High School and was engaged to be married.

“She would have been a great woman,” Yvonne Wolfgram said.

Prison records show Nilsen was paroled in October 2003, a few

months before the killing. He had been sentenced to 25 years on a

kidnapping conviction in 1989. Nilsen previously served time for

attempted robbery and being an ex-felon in possession of a weapon,

among other offenses.

Nilsen’s arraignment was continued to April 8 at Superior Court in

Westminster.