LINCOLN, CA — “After more than two years, a Placer County jury has found Eric Olsen, 63, guilty of the first-degree murder of his stepson, Jimmie Wiedeman, in a case that began on January 1, 2023, in unincorporated Lincoln.
On November 17, 2025, Olsen was convicted by a jury of his peers.
The jury also found true the special allegation that he personally used a firearm, causing Wiedeman’s death.
On January 28, 2026, Olsen was sentenced to 53 years to life in the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. During sentencing, he admitted to killing his stepson and acknowledged that he lied to the jury during his testimony at trial.
Olsen had a documented history of violent criminal activity at the same Lincoln property, including involvement in a prior homicide case in Yuba County. He had been released from custody only months before this murder. Despite the sentence imposed, he may be eligible for elder parole consideration in approximately 20 years.
We often share information about arrests as cases unfold, but it is just as important to us to update our community when those cases reach their conclusion.
This case reflects the strength of partnership and a shared commitment to justice between the Placer County Sheriff’s Office and the Placer County District Attorney’s Office. From the initial investigation through prosecution, this outcome was made possible by the work of Sheriff’s detectives, the detailed follow-up by a District Attorney Investigator, and was prosecuted by Senior Deputy District Attorney Kyle Hasapes from the Placer DA Felony Unit and supported by the office’s Victim Services Unit.
While no sentence can undo the loss suffered, this conviction ensures accountability and represents a measure of justice for the victim and his family.”
