Has history of arrests including for another murder earlier this year, battery earlier this month
By Pittsburg Police Department
Tuesday morning, August 20, 2024, at 6:37 a.m. officers were dispatched to the 2200 block of Railroad Avenue for a reported physical altercation occurring between two male adults. Upon arrival officers located an unresponsive 65-year-old male suffering from significant facial trauma. Despite lifesaving efforts, the victim was pronounced deceased.
Multiple witnesses on scene provided a description of the suspect which matched video evidence collected from local businesses. Officers conducted a canvas of the area and quickly located the suspect who was identified as 28-year-old Billy Ray Darby, Jr., (born 8-9-96) a transient from Pittsburg. Detectives are actively investigating what led to the altercation. Darby was arrested and the case was presented to the Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office. The victim’s information is being withheld at this time pending next of kin notification.
This is an active investigation and anyone with information related to this incident is asked to contact the Pittsburg Police Department Dispatch at 925-646-2441 or Detective Haller at (925) 252-6918.
According to localcrimenews.com, Darby has a history of arrests dating back to 2019 by BART PD, Antioch PD, U.C. Berkley PD and the Contra Costa Sheriff’s Department for crimes including murder and battery with serious bodily injury on Feb. 13, 2024, and battery with serious bodily injury on Aug. 2, 2024; battery, trespassing and intoxicated in public on June 7, 2022; and sexual battery, DUI, driving with a suspended license and resisting arrest on Nov. 4, 2021.
According to the Contra Costa Sheriff’s Office, he is being held in the Martinez Detention Facility on no bail.
Allen D. Payton contributed to this report.
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