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Vacant SoMa house at 224-228 Clara Street goes to auction with a $925,000 bid

Vacant SoMa house at 224-228 Clara Street goes to auction with a $925,000 bid

Money Moves San Francisco, CA local

The boarded-up San Francisco property, empty since an unsolved 2018 killing, sold at auction for $980,000 on October 8. The buyer has not been named.

October 8th, 2026: Auction sells for $980,000

Overview

Updated Oct 28

Eight years after Brian Egg's dismembered body was found there, the SoMa house at 224-228 Clara Street sold at auction for $980,000 on October 8. It is marketed as a development site with capacity for nine condo units.

No one has been charged in the killing. The boarded-up house drew squatters and at least 14 formal city complaints after 2020. The winning bidder has not been disclosed, and it is not yet known whether the sale leads to demolition and rebuilding.

Why it matters

Eight years of decay around an unsolved murder may end if the auction winner closes on this SoMa block.

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Key Indicators

$980,000
Auction sale price
The house sold for $980,000 at auction on October 8. The winning bidder has not been disclosed.

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People Involved

Brian Egg
Brian Egg
Murder victim and former homeowner
Deceased; case unsolved
SB
Shahram Bijan
Property owner since 2019
Owes $92,994 in back taxes; property in default since July 2023
WD
Wilma Parker DePavloff
Next-door neighbor and friend of Egg
Advocated for city action on the property

Organizations Involved

San Francisco Police Department
San Francisco Police Department
Police Department
Investigated the murder; case unsolved

Found Egg's torso in the fish tank after a four-day search and arrested two men, later released for lack of evidence.
San Francisco District Attorney's Office
San Francisco District Attorney's Office
Prosecutorial agency
Withdrew charges; no prosecution to date

Withdrew charges against the two arrested suspects, saying more investigation was needed.

Timeline

2018 October 2026

8 events Latest: October 8th, 2026 · 1 month ago
Tap a bar to jump to that date

  1. Auction sells for $980,000

    Latest Real Estate

    The house sold for $980,000 at auction on October 8. The winning bidder was not immediately disclosed.

  2. Owner misses hearing

    Legal

    Owner missed a city abatement hearing; building department issued a fine.

  3. Property enters default

    Financial

    Property entered default on back taxes owed to San Francisco.

  4. Condo plan on file

    Permit

    A nine-unit condo plan was on file with the city. The Bay Area Reporter reports the owner spent more than $1 million on plans and permits; sources do not confirm a 2023 approval or a $3 million listing.

  5. Bijan buys the house

    Real Estate

    Developer Shahram Bijan bought the Clara Street property for $1.5 million.

  6. Torso found in fish tank

    Discovery

    After a four-day search, police found Egg's torso in a fish tank behind a false wall.

  7. Egg last seen alive

    Event

    Brian Egg was last seen alive around late May or early June.

  8. Charges dropped

    Legal

    Two men arrested in the killing; district attorney withdrew charges for lack of evidence.

Scenarios

1

Condo project breaks ground at Clara Street

Likely Resolves by Nov 30, 2026

Discussed by: Bay Area Reporter, ABC7

The auction closes and the winning bidder completes the purchase. The new owner holds an approved demolition permit and nine-unit condo plans, so the work shifts to finalizing permits and construction. Neighbors get relief from the boarded-up blight.

2

Auction stalls, property stays in limbo

Possible Resolves by Nov 30, 2026

Discussed by: Bay Area Reporter

The winning bidder backs out, fails to close, or the seller rejects the bid. The property returns to tax-default status with Bijan still as owner, and neighbors keep waiting for the city to act.

3

Murder case reopened

Unlikely Resolves by End of 2027

Discussed by: ABC7, neighbors quoted by KGO

New evidence or a witness leads the district attorney's office to file charges in Egg's death. The two released persons of interest or another suspect face prosecution. This is the least likely near-term outcome after eight years without charges.

Historical Context

2 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

November 1974

Amityville murders (1974)

Ronald DeFeo Jr. shot six family members in their Amityville, New York house in November 1974. The home became famous through 'The Amityville Horror' book and films.

Then

DeFeo was convicted of six counts of murder. The house sold within a year despite the killings.

Now

The property has traded hands multiple times and remains a private home, showing how buyers discount a murder history to own real estate.

Why this matters now

Like the Clara Street house, the Amityville property kept market value despite an infamous killing, because buyers separated the crime from the land.

June 1912

Villisca axe murders (1912)

Eight people were killed with an axe in a small Iowa home in June 1912. Two suspects were tried and acquitted; the crime was never solved.

Then

The house sat empty for decades and later became a tourist attraction with overnight ghost tours.

Now

It remains a commercialized murder site, illustrating how an unsolved killing keeps a property's story alive for a century.

Why this matters now

Both cases show how an unsolved crime can define a house's identity, complicating how neighbors and the market treat it.

Sources

(5)
+1
SFist ABC7 News KGO New York Post Bay Area Reporter Bay Area Reporter