Contra Costa Herald

News Of By and For The People of Contra Costa County, California

Two Fairfield men arrested for Lafayette home invasion armed robberies

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Suspects linked to other East Bay home invasion robberies

The Lafayette Police Department announces the arrests of suspects in two home invasion robberies that occurred in the city on October 31, 2019 (See related article) and November 26, 2019 (see related article).

This morning, the Fairfield Police Department SWAT team and Lafayette Police Department served Ramey arrest warrants and search warrants at a residence on the 500 block of Pacific Avenue in Fairfield in connection with the cases. Multiple people were detained. Two have been arrested at this time:

-22-year-old Joseph Wells of Fairfield

-20-year-old Adama Diop of Fairfield

Since the home invasion robbery on October 31, Lafayette Police Investigators, assisted by the Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff Investigation Division, have worked continuously on this case. Separately, the Oakland Police Department was already investigating a home invasion robbery that happened on October 29. A similar incident happened in Benicia on November 10. A second home invasion robbery occurred in Lafayette on November 26. The agencies began coordinating their efforts once investigative leads were developed and similarities between the four cases were established.

During the serving of the search warrant at the residence today, Lafayette Po-lice Investigators seized guns and numerous items and property believed to be stolen during the home invasion robberies.

“The arrest of these home invasion robbery suspects is the result of good police work,” said Contra Costa Sheriff David Livingston. “It was a combination of following up on leads, a critical tip from a citizen who reported something suspicious, and teamwork among the law enforcement agencies involved.”

Interviews with the suspects are currently taking place.

Wells and Diop will be booked into the Martinez Detention Facility on charges that include: residential burglary, kidnapping, false imprisonment, assault with a deadly weapon, robbery, stolen vehicle and conspiracy.

The Lafayette Police Department would like to thank the following agencies for their assistance: Contra Costa Sheriff’s Office, Oakland Police Department, Fairfield Police Department, and Benicia Police Department.

Anyone with any information on the Lafayette cases is asked to contact the Lafayette Police Department at (925) 283-3680 or (925) 299-3234. For any tips, email: 94549TIP@gmail.com or call (866) 846-3592 to leave an anonymous voice message.

Lafayette Police investigate home invasion armed robbery

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Similar to another incident on Halloween night

By Jimmy Lee, Director of Public Affairs, Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff

On Tuesday, November 26, 2019, at about 11:00 PM, Lafayette Police Officers were dispatched to a report of a home invasion robbery that happened on the 1100 block of Crestmont Drive in Lafayette.

The incident involved three suspects who were armed with a pistol. The suspects entered the residence through an open garage door. The suspects assaulted a male resident and then restrained both residents. The suspects went through the house, stealing valuables and personal items.

When the suspects left the home, they left both residents still restrained. It took the residents several hours before they were able to get free and call 9-1-1. The residents said that the suspects entered the home around 7:30 PM.

Both victims suffered minor injuries and were transported to a local hospital.

Lafayette Police Investigations and the Sheriff’s Office Crime Lab responded, and the investigation is ongoing.

The incident is very similar to another home invasion armed robbery that occurred on Halloween night in Lafayette, also involving three suspects, in which two victims were injured. (See related article)

Anyone with any information on this case is asked to contact the Lafayette Police Department at (925) 283-3680 or (925) 299-3234. For any tips, email: 94549TIP@gmail.com or call (866) 846-3592 to leave an anonymous voice message.

Allen Payton contributed to this report.

Men from Martinez, Vallejo arrested in Orinda Halloween shooting deaths

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Domenico Dones and Frederick Johnson are suspects in the Halloween Orinda party shooting deaths. Photos by CCCSheriff

By Jimmy Lee, Director of Public Affairs, Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff and

On Thursday, November 21, 2019, at 7 AM, the Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff served Ramey arrest warrants and search warrants in multiple locations, including Martinez and Vallejo, in connection with the Orinda shooting on October 31, 2019.

The Office of the Sheriff was assisted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

The two suspects are identified as:

-29-year-old Domico Michael Dones of Martinez. Dones was booked on charges related to the Orinda shooting. On Friday, the Contra Costa County DA’s Office has filed two formal charges against Dones – felon in possession of a firearm and felon in possession of ammunition.

According to Scott Alonso, the CCDA’s Public Information Officer, Dones has a prior felony conviction for second degree robbery in Santa Clara County. He was in possession of a Glock 22. 40 Caliber handgun with a laser scope and ammunition. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) San Francisco Field Division also assisted in the arrest of Dones.

Dones will be arraigned on Monday, November 25, in Martinez. Dones was not one of the five suspects arrested in connection with the Orinda Halloween shooting last week by the Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office. Due to the sensitive nature of the Orinda investigation, no further details will be released regarding Dones in connection with the incident.

-29-year-old Frederick Johnson of Vallejo. Johnson was also booked on charges related to the Orinda shooting. The Solano County DA’s Office has filed charges against Johnson – felon in possession of a firearm, felon in possession of ammunition, and child endangerment.

Both of them are being held at the Martinez Detention Facility. Dones is being held in lieu of $300,000 bail; Johnson is being held in lieu of $75,000 bail.

The investigation into the shooting is ongoing. Sheriff’s Office Detectives along with multiple law enforcement agencies have worked continuously on the investigation into the shooting that killed five people at a Halloween party.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact the Sheriff’s Office Investigation Division at (925) 313-2600. For any tips, please email: tips@so.cccounty.us or call 866-846-3592 to leave an anonymous voice message.

Contra Costa DA won’t charge five suspects in Orinda Halloween shooting deaths, wants more investigation

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The five suspects arrested, not charged and to be released are (l-r) Jason Iles, Shamron Mitchell, Devin Williamson, Lebraun Wallace and Jaquez Deshawn Sweeney. Photos by CoCoSheriff.

Suspects are or will be released; Sheriff stands by his department’s investigation

By Allen Payton

In a news release, this evening, Scott Alonso, the Public Information Officer for Contra Costa District Attorney Diana Becton, wrote, “Today the District Attorney’s Office met with members of the Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff to review the Orinda Halloween shooting incident. No criminal charges are being filed at this time against any individual. The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information about the case should call the Sheriff’s Homicide Unit at 925-313-2600.” (See related article)

When reached for comment, Alonso said, “We made the decision about 5:00 p.m. tonight.”

Asked if all five suspects who were arrested would be released, he responded, “That’s my understanding, yes. If they have no holds are on their records, then they will be released, tonight. If there are no charges filed against them. Four are in custody of the Contra Costa Sheriff. One is in custody of the Marin County Sheriff.”

Asked why D.A. Becton chose not to charge any of the suspects, Alonso said, “We have a really high filing standard and we need more information. We are collaboratively working with the Sheriff’s Office to see what else is out there.”

“It’s very complex. We want more witnesses to come forward. There were a lot of people at that party,” he added.

When reached for comment and asked about the suspects, Jimmy Lee, the Director of Public Affairs for the Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff responded, “They have either been released or are in the process.”

“We stand by our investigation and the arrests were made pursuant to a judge’s order,” he continued. “Although the district attorney may want more investigation done, the persons arrested and responsible for these crimes will ultimately be held to account. The entire investigation is ongoing, as is common in these types of complex cases.”

Sheriff expects more arrests in Orinda Halloween party killings

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The five suspects arrested are (l-r) Jason Iles, Shamron Mitchell, Devin Williamson, Lebraun Wallace and Jaquez Deshawn Sweeney. Photos by CoCoSheriff.

Shootings were result of rival gangs

By Daniel Borsuk

More arrests are expected to be made in connection with the Orinda Airbnb case where five people were shot and killed on Halloween night, Contra Costa County Sheriff David O. Livingston said at a press conference Friday afternoon.

Unable to provide further details, the sheriff said that five suspects had been arrested on Friday in connection with the Orinda shootings on Friday that had ties with two Bay Area gangs – the Page Street Gang of San Francisco and the Marin City Jungle Gang of Marin City.

Sheriff Livingston said he expects any additional persons arrested in the Orinda Airbnb case will likely have gang affiliations. He would not elaborate.

The five suspects under arrest are identified as:

  • Shamron Mitchell, 30, of Antioch. Mitchell was arrested on the charges of murder and conspiracy. He is being held without bail.
  • Lebraun Wallace, 28, of San Mateo. Wallace was arrested on the charges of murder and conspiracy. He is being held without bail.
  • Jaquez Deshawn Sweeney, 20, of Marin City. Sweeney was arrested on the charges of murder and conspiracy. He is being held without bail.
  • Jason Iles, 20, of Marin City. Iles was arrested on the charges of murder and conspiracy. He is being held without bail.
  • Devin Williamson, 21, of Vallejo. Williamson was arrested on the the charges of being an accessory. He is being held in lieu of $500,000 bail.

“Extraordinary cooperation among multiple law enforcement agencies led to these arrests and a small measure of justice for the true victims,” said Sheriff Livingston.

“We have video showing a number of people at the party had carried firearms and secreted their firearms in their pants once the shooting spree in the house had subsided,” the sheriff said.

Four firearms were recovered by law enforcement authorities at the crime scene, Sheriff Livingston said.

“We believe people at the party had intent to do harm at this party,” the sheriff said in reference to potential connections with other gangs in the Bay Area. “Additionally, evidence shows two of the deceased persons inside the house were themselves armed, which may have played a role in this tragedy,”

Those victims, who had possessed weapons, were Ramon Hill Jr., 24, of San Francisco/Oakland and Javin County, 29, of Sausalito/Richmond.

Other murder victims were Tiyon Farley, 22, of Antioch; Omar Taylor, 24, of Pittsburg; and Oshiana Tompkins, 19, of Vallejo/Hercules, according to the sheriff’s office. Five additional victims suffered gunshot wounds. One person jumped 30 feet over a balcony to escape the gunfire, said deputies.

“The blame rests specifically on the people who brought guns into the party, pulled the trigger and murdered someone. That’s who should have the blame in this case,” said the sheriff.

The sheriff said neither the Orinda police, the homeowner, nor Airbnb deserve blame in this case.

In the aftermath of the crime, Orinda Mayor Inga Miller said the city council is expected to consider tougher home rental ordinance proposals that would apply to Airb&b at Tuesday’s council meeting. “I want to thank the Contra Costa County Sheriffs Office and other local law enforcement agencies for the resources they have deployed into resolving this heinous crime,” said Miller

The Antioch Police Department, San Mateo Police Department, Vallejo Police Department, Marin County Sheriff’s Office, U.S. Marshalls Service, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Federal Bureau of Investigation assisted in the Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff in this case.

Persons with any information is asked to contact the Sheriff’s Office Investigation Division at (925) 313-2600. For any tips, please email: tips@so.cccounty.us or call (866) 846-3592 to leave an anonymous voice message.

Five suspects in fatal Orinda Halloween party shooting arrested, one from Contra Costa County

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The five suspects arrested are (l-r) Jason Iles, Shamron Mitchell, Devin Williamson, Lebraun Wallace and Jaquez Deshawn Sweeney. Photos by CoCoSheriff.

By Jimmy Lee, Director of Public Affairs, Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff

Law enforcement agencies served Ramey arrest warrants and search warrants in several Bay Area counties this morning and arrested five suspects in connection with the Orinda shooting on October 31, 2019. (See related article)

The arrest warrants were served in the cities of San Mateo, Marin City, Vallejo and Antioch.

The Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff was assisted by the San Mateo Police Department, Antioch Police Department, Vallejo Police Department, Marin County Sheriff’s Office, U.S. Marshals Service, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Sheriff’s Office Detectives, assisted by multiple law enforcement agencies, have worked continuously on the investigation into the shooting that claimed five lives at a Halloween party.

The five suspects are identified as:

-30-year-old Shamron Joshua Mitchell of Antioch. Mitchell was arrested on the following charges: murder and conspiracy. He is being held without bail.

-28-year-old Lebraun Tyree Wallace of the city of San Mateo. Wallace was arrested on the following charges: murder and conspiracy. He is being held without bail.

-20-year-old Jaquez Deshawn Sweeney of Marin City. Sweeney was arrested on the following charges: murder and conspiracy. He is being held without bail.

-20-year-old Jason D. Iles of Marin City. Iles was arrested on the following charges: murder and conspiracy. He is being held without bail.

-21-year-old Devin Isiah Williamson of Vallejo. He was arrested on the following charge: being an accessory. He is being held in lieu of $500,000 bail.

“Extraordinary cooperation among multiple law enforcement agencies led to these arrests and a small measure of justice for the true victims,” said Contra Costa Sheriff David Livingston. “Additionally, evidence shows two of the deceased persons inside the house were themselves armed, which may have played a role in this tragedy. We look forward to providing more information in the coming days.”

The investigation into the shooting is ongoing. Anyone with any information is asked to contact the Sheriff’s Office Investigation Division at (925) 313-2600. For any tips, please email: tips@so.cccounty.us or call 866-846-3592 to leave an anonymous voice message.

 

Police seek three suspects in Halloween armed home invasion robbery in Lafayette

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By Jimmy Lee, Director of Public Affairs. Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff

On Thursday, October 31, 2019, at about 8:30 PM, Lafayette Police Officers were dispatched to a report of a home invasion robbery that happened on the 1300 block of Martino Road in Lafayette.

The incident involved three suspects who were armed with a pistol. One suspect apparently knocked on the front door, while two others hid. When a resident opened the door, he was assaulted and forced back inside. The suspects went through the house, stealing valuables and personal items. The suspects were in the home for approximately one hour before leaving with the victims’ BMW sedan.

The stolen vehicle was tracked to Oakland. Officers from the Orinda Police Department, assisting in the investigation, responded to Oakland and found the stolen vehicle abandoned.

One of the victims was transported to a local hospital. The other suffered minor injuries.

The investigation is ongoing.

Anyone with any information on this case is asked to contact the Lafayette Police Department at (925) 283-3680 or (925) 299-3234. For any tips, email: 94549TIP@gmail.com or call (866) 846-3592 to leave an anonymous voice message.

Five victims identified in Orinda shooting on Halloween, four from Contra Costa County

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Renter lied about reason for renting Airbnb home.

By Jimmy Lee, Director of Public Affairs, Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff

The Orinda Police Department and the Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff continue to investigate a shooting that occurred on the 100 block of Lucille Way in Orinda on Thursday, October 31, 2019, at about 10:50 PM.

Orinda Police Officers, along with law enforcement officers from throughout the county, arrived on scene and found a house party with over 100 attendees. The party-goers apparently came from throughout the Bay Area for the Halloween event, which was advertised on social media. The party took place in a home that was found on a short-term rental website.

According to the Associated Press, the home was rented by a woman who “lied to her Airbnb host, saying she only needed a place to keep her family members away from wildfire smoke”.

Arriving Officers found a highly chaotic scene that included gunshot victims, injured party-goers, and numerous people fleeing the scene. Officers triaged the victims, cleared the location for safety and safeguarded the crime scene. Law enforcement officers found three gunshot victims who were later pronounced deceased at the scene. Another died at the hospital.

The victims are identified as 22-year-old Tiyon Farley of Antioch, 24-year-old Omar Taylor of Pittsburg, 23-year-old Ramon Hill Jr. of San Francisco/Oakland and 29-year-old Javin County of Sausalito/Richmond. An additional victim has been pronounced deceased at a local hospital. She is identified as 19-year-old Oshiana Tompkins of Vallejo/Hercules. There are now a total of five fatalities in this shooting.

Several other victims were transported to local hospitals by ambulance, while some victims transported themselves to the hospital. The injured suffered from gunshot wounds and injuries sustained while fleeing the scene.

A number of law enforcement agencies from the Bay Area assisted during the initial response as well as during the ongoing investigation. These include the Contra Costa D.A.’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The Sheriff’s Office Forensic Services Division Crime Lab responded to the home to process the scene. Two firearms were located in the house. The Crime Lab is analyzing the weapons to determine if they were used in the shooting or any other crimes. Numerous shell casings found at the scene are being processed and analyzed by the Crime Lab.

The investigation into this incident is ongoing with numerous interviews of witnesses and the analysis of evidence. The suspect is still outstanding.

Orinda Police Officers were yesterday called to the house at 9:19 PM and 10:25 PM regarding a noise complaint. At 10:48 PM, an officer was headed to the home to investigate the calls. The initial reports of shooting came in around 10:50 PM.

Anyone with any information on this case is asked to contact the Orinda Police Department or Office of the Sheriff at (925) 646-2441. The Investigation Division can be reached at (925) 313-2600. For any tips, email: tips@so.cccounty.us or call (866) 846-3592 to leave an anonymous voice message.

Allen Payton contributed to this report.

At least three people dead, others injured in shooting at Orinda Halloween party Thursday night

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Sheriff’s Detectives investigate

By Jimmy Lee, Director of Public Affairs, Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff

On Thursday night, October 31, 2019, at about 10:50, Orinda Police Officers were dispatched to reports of a shooting at a residence on the 100 block of Lucille Way in Orinda.

Orinda officers, assisted by law enforcement officers from the area, arrived on scene and found a large house party with over 100 attendees.

There were three apparent gunshot victims who were pronounced deceased at the scene. Another died later at the hospital.

Other victims were taken to local hospitals by ambulance. The exact number is unknown as some victims transported themselves to the hospital.

A KTVU Fox2 News report gave the number of deceased victims at four, with a fourth having died at the hospital.

The Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff Forensic Services Division Crime lab and Detectives from the Homicide Unit responded to the scene. The investigation is ongoing.

Anyone with any information on this case is asked to contact the Orinda Police Department or Office of the Sheriff at (925) 646-2441. The Investigation Division can be reached at (925) 313-2600. For any tips, email: tips@so.cccounty.us or call (866) 846-3592 to leave an anonymous voice message.

Allen Payton contributed to this report.

Orinda Police investigate Sunday morning carjacking

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By Jimmy Lee, Director of Public Affairs, Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff

Sunday morning at about 10:10, Orinda police responded to a report of a carjacking on the 400 block of Camino Sobrante in Orinda.

Two suspects in a vehicle apparently drove their car into the driveway of a resident and stole his vehicle, a Toyota Tacoma, at gunpoint.

Orinda officers, assisted by the CHP, searched for the Tacoma but were not able to locate it. The suspects and vehicle, a black colored Tacoma with California license plate 8R01259, are outstanding as of Sunday evening.

The original car driven by the suspects was a silver Audi RS5. It apparently was stolen earlier this month and led CHP officers on a pursuit just prior to the carjacking.

Anyone with any information on the Tacoma or suspects is asked to contact the Orinda Police Department at 925-646-2441.