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“Murder in the Parking Garage”: 48 Hours Investigates the Calculated Killing of Kenneth Fandrich October 4 2025

by · October 3, 2025

48 Hours dives into a harrowing real-life crime in its episode “Murder in the Parking Garage,” airing Saturday, October 4, 2025, on CBS. The case, reported by Natalie Morales, centers on the shocking murder of 57-year-old Kenneth Fandrich in Hillsboro, Oregon, and the disturbing lengths one man went to in order to exact a twisted form of revenge.

The episode pieces together how surveillance footage, combined with detailed investigative work, led authorities to 58-year-old Steven Neil Milner, a former veterinarian from Oregon City. The crime itself was cold and calculated, the motive rooted in obsession, and the outcome delivered a life sentence for the killer.

A Sudden Disappearance and a Disturbing Discovery

The case unfolded in January 2023 when Tanya Fandrich reported her husband, Kenneth, missing. Not long after, his body was discovered in his car inside a parking garage at Intel Ronler Acres, where he worked. At first glance, the scene gave the appearance of a natural death. However, it didn’t take long for authorities to uncover troubling inconsistencies.

Autopsy results confirmed injuries to the neck and spine, pointing to manual strangulation. Surveillance footage, though partially obscured by blue spray paint, captured a masked man in a yellow hard hat tampering with security cameras. Investigators quickly suspected that whoever staged the scene had carefully planned every detail to avoid detection.

A History of Obsession and Control

Detectives traced the crime back to Steven Milner, who had a years-long history with Tanya Fandrich. She had worked at his veterinary clinic, and the two began a romantic affair around 2017. When the affair ended, Milner’s behavior turned obsessive. He repeatedly tried to interfere in Tanya’s life, even involving family members under false pretenses in attempts to regain contact.

Milner’s fixation deepened as he turned his attention to Kenneth, whom he viewed as an obstacle. Prosecutors revealed Milner stalked the couple for years—placing GPS trackers on their vehicles, sneaking onto their property, and even attempting to frame Kenneth with planted evidence. In March 2022, Kenneth obtained a stalking protective order against Milner, but the harassment continued.

The Premeditated Attack in the Garage

By late 2022, Milner had purchased two used vehicles using fake identities, enabling him to stalk Kenneth without detection. In December, he was caught on Intel’s security footage spray-painting cameras in a calculated test run. He returned several times, observing Kenneth’s patterns as he arrived and left work.

On January 27, 2023, Milner enacted his plan. Disguised and armed with knowledge of the camera blind spots he had created, he waited in a minivan parked beside Kenneth’s car. When Kenneth returned after his shift, Milner ambushed him, subdued him with a chokehold, and staged the body in the car to simulate a natural death. The meticulousness of the scene suggested an experienced predator.

The Trial and Verdict

During the trial in January 2025, Milner claimed he acted in self-defense, alleging that Kenneth attacked him. The jury rejected this defense after a weeklong trial and just six hours of deliberation. The evidence against Milner was extensive, including GPS data, surveillance footage, and the physical tampering of cameras.

Milner was convicted of second-degree murder, stalking, and violating the stalking protective order. On February 18, 2025, he was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 25 years, plus an additional six years for the stalking violations. The judge, prosecutors, and Kenneth’s widow emphasized that Milner’s conduct had shown long-standing predatory behavior.

The Emotional Toll and Victim Impact

At the sentencing, Tanya Fandrich gave a powerful statement. She recounted the years of fear and intimidation inflicted by Milner, blaming his interference for turmoil in her marriage and the emotional breakdown of her husband. She described how Milner manipulated those around her and infiltrated every aspect of her life in a bid for control.

Her testimony was a searing indictment not only of Milner but also of the institutions that failed to protect her and Kenneth. She criticized the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office for not enforcing the stalking order effectively, alleging that their inaction allowed the tragedy to unfold. Her words painted a picture of a family destroyed by unchecked obsession.

A Cautionary Tale of Escalating Stalking

The murder of Kenneth Fandrich illustrates how stalking can escalate into deadly violence when warning signs are ignored. Milner’s behavior followed a predictable pattern of control, surveillance, and manipulation. Despite legal protections, his ability to bypass safeguards and deceive law enforcement showed the limitations of current stalking laws.

The 48 Hours episode “Murder in the Parking Garage” offers a chilling look at the case from beginning to end, highlighting the key figures who worked tirelessly to secure justice. It also serves as a call for better systems to detect and stop escalating threats before they turn fatal.

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Ryan Gill

Ryan is a passionate follower of true crime television programs, reporting on and providing in-depth investigations on mysteries in the criminal world.

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