OAKLAND — A former Alameda County sheriff’s deputy was convicted Thursday of gunning down a married Dublin couple greater than two years in the past, in keeping with prosecutors.
Devin Williams faces 50 years to life in state jail when he’s sentenced subsequent month for the first-degree murders of 42-year-old Maria and 57-year-old Benison Tran, the district legal professional’s workplace mentioned in a press release.
The murders passed off on Sept. 7, 2022. Williams, a deputy on the time, went to the couple’s house within the 3100 block of Colebrook Lane and shot them to dying along with his agency-issued gun, in keeping with prosecutors.
4 different individuals had been on the house when the killings occurred, together with a toddler.
“We acknowledge this horrific tragedy leaves a son with out his dad and mom and a neighborhood eternally traumatized by this unacceptable and harsh house invasion assault on an unarmed and unsuspecting couple,” District Lawyer Pamela Worth mentioned.
The 26-year-old former deputy was in a romantic relationship with Maria Tran, though she was legally married to Benison Tran and lived with him, in keeping with prosecutors.
The district legal professional thanked the jury for its “diligent work in delivering this responsible verdict.”
“I additionally need to thank our total prosecution staff, together with our inspectors and victim-witness advocates who labored diligently to get the conviction and supply providers to the victims’ households, regardless of the extreme public scrutiny and questioning of our dedication to efficiently prosecute this case,” Worth mentioned, referring to her controversial determination to drop particular circumstances enhancements towards Williams.
The enhancements, which had been filed by the earlier district legal professional, carried a doable sentence of life with out parole.
Family of the slain couple criticized the choice and accused Worth of being mushy on crime.
“We’re left pondering that you’re making a sweetheart deal to guard a police officer and the Alameda County Sheriff’s Division and achieve favor with the police associations which have repeatedly challenged your competence as district legal professional, your failure to guard the individuals from crime and the politicization of your workplace,” the relations wrote in a letter to the district legal professional following her determination.
Williams is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 12 on the East Bay County Corridor of Justice in Dublin.
Test again for updates.
Initially Revealed:
