Karlsen Sentenced In NY
Seneca County, NY — A former Calaveras County resident has been sentenced to 15 years to life for the murder of his son in New York. A judge handed down that sentence to 53-year-old Karl Karlsen in a Seneca County courtroom on Monday. The Syracuse Post-Standard reports when reading the sentence the judge called Karlsen not “fully human”.
In November, just one day before his murder trial was set to begin, Karlsen pled guilty to second-degree murder. Prosecutors claimed Karlsen killed his 23-year-old son Levi in 2008 by toppling a truck on him as he worked underneath. Karlsen was sole beneficiary of Levi’s $700,000 life insurance policy.
The New York case has prompted Calaveras County Sheriff’s Officials to investigate Karlsen as a suspect in the possible murder of his wife 22 years ago. In 1991, Kristina Karlsen died in a house fire in Murphys while Karl and their three children, including 5 year-old Levi, escaped the flames.
In January, investigators re-opened the case and started questioning people mentioned in the initial 1991 fire report. Sheriff’s Officials sent the case to the Calaveras County D.A. Barbara Yook. The D.A.’s office is not commenting on the case, but Sheriff’s officials say it is an active case.
Karlsen walked away with $200,000 in insurance money after the death of his wife.
