When 18-year-old Catina Rose Salarno arrived at the University of the Pacific in Stockton, California, in September 1979, she believed she was stepping into a new chapter. The freshman had ended her relationship with high school boyfriend Steven Burns and was focused on her goal of becoming a dentist. But on her very first day on campus, Burns appeared unexpectedly. According to Catina’s college roommate, Joanne Marks, he asked to see her later that night for what he described as one final conversation.
“She was not looking forward to meeting with him, but she was looking forward to it being the last time,” Marks told “48 Hours” correspondent Erin Moriarty in “The Boy Across the Street.” Marks said Catina believed the meeting would finally convince Burns to leave her alone.
At about 8 p.m., Burns took Catina Salarno to a dark, isolated area of the University of the Pacific campus, where he pressed her to revive their relationship. When she refused, he drew a gun from his waistband and shot her in the back of the head. Catina was left there, bleeding, and died from the attack.
“My whole world got taken from me in, really, the flash of the gun, I mean, everything was gone. My life was never the same again,” Catina’s youngest sister, Nina Salarno, told “48 Hours.” Nina was just 14 when Burns was convicted of second-degree murder in 1980, but the killing of her sister and the years that followed reshaped her life.
Nina Salarno later built a career as a prosecutor focused on domestic violence cases and, since 2023, has served as district attorney in Modoc County, California. “I chose … to make that my career because I believed, like my sister, so many victims are either not heard, afraid to be heard, or just don’t understand the magnitude of what’s happening to them,” she said.
Salarno family
Burns first entered the Salarno family’s life in 1977, when he and his family moved across the street from their San Francisco home. He and Catina, both high school sophomores, soon began dating. Catina attended an all-girls school, while Burns became captain of his school’s football team. With a difficult relationship with his own father, Burns grew close to the Salarnos, who welcomed him into their home and treated him like family.
By the end of senior year, however, Catina wanted to end the romance. As she distanced herself, Nina Salarno said Burns became increasingly aggressive toward her sister. The behavior worsened over time. Catina’s sisters told “48 Hours” there were disturbing moments when Burns threatened to kill her, though Nina said Catina did not believe he would follow through. Her sisters did not believe it either.
“We just figured he was just saying it. And because of what our relationship was over the years, why would we believe that?” Catina’s middle sister, Regina Salarno-Novello, told “48 Hours.” “He enjoyed being part of the family. Why would he destroy a family that he loved?”
Nina Salarno said it’s common for victims to miss the warning signs.
“I think this is what’s really hard for domestic violence victims — they really don’t think the person’s gonna kill them … in a lot of the situations they think … they know this person … And I think that’s exactly what happened with Catina is she just figured his comment was just his comment. Even though he had made threats, she could handle it, ‘he’s never gonna cross that line’ type thing,” she said.
Which is why Catina Salarno agreed to meet Burns that night, Nina Salarno said.
“I think she gained strength as she was leaving the relationship … she was not gonna let him ruin where she was headed or interfere with her life anymore. And so that’s why I believe she went out to meet him,” Nina Salarno said. “And I think she did probably one of the most courageous acts. But also in the history of domestic violence in relationships, it’s the most dangerous time. And unfortunately, she was killed.”
According to Nina Salarno, once an abuser starts to feel like they have lost control over their partner, she says that is when the highest rate of injury or murder occurs in a domestic violence relationship. Nina Salarno emphasizes the importance of avoiding these “last time” encounters by urging victims to make a clean break from their abuser and avoiding situations where they might be alone with them.
“I think the biggest thing that a victim needs to realize is once they make that break, you’ve gotta make that break. Don’t go meet them by yourself, don’t take the phone calls, don’t take the texts. Cut it off,” Nina said. “Everything you can do to prevent being one-on-one with that person.”
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence or the threat of domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline for help at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233).
