An investigation into the fatal shooting of four men on Page Street in January 2015 has been slowed by the fact that witnesses have been afraid to come forward, and some of those with direct knowledge of the crime are likely gang members who don't want to talk to police. We learned in July, 19 months after the crime, that the SFPD had finally made a single arrest, but investigators believe that at least two other suspects were involved and remain at large, as the Examiner is now reporting.
27-year-old Lee Farley was arrested two months ago and charged with the murders of Yalani Chinyamurindi, 19, of San Francisco; Harith Atchan, 21, of San Francisco; David Saucier, 20, of Antioch; Manuel O’Neal, 22. We knew just weeks after the shooting that O'Neal, Atchan, and Saucier were all alleged members of the Mac Block gang based in the Western Addition, and now we learn that in the stolen Honda Civic where they were found shot were two pistols, neither of which had been discharged. According to accounts from the victims' parents, the victims had gone to the area to "air it out" with members of the Page Street gang with whom they'd been feuding, and possibly to kill someone themselves. But as the Ex reports, the aggressors in this apparent turf war became the victims, and the suspects in the case fled in a rented silver Hyundai that turned up at a Walnut Creek Hertz location.
It's unclear, after police questioned two individuals who returned the car back in mid-January 2015, why it took until July 2016 to make the arrest. Police say they have Farley on surveillance video talking to a driver in the Hyundai the day of the shooting, and getting into the vehicle, and in a seat pocket investigators found San Francisco parking citations that were issued to Farley on January 5, 2015, four days before the murders.
Anonymous sources have also, according to the Ex, given police the street names of the other Page Street gang members involved in the crime, but they need more witnesses to come forward before making any more arrests. "It’s just real tight when you have people talking about it. They are afraid to come forward,” said Sergeant K. Sanders to the Ex. "You need a little bit more than something someone tells you. So that’s what’s making it so hard."
Earlier this month, as Hoodline noted, the SFPD offered a $250,000 reward for information that proves helpful in solving this crime.
Anyone with information should contact Sergeant Sanders or Sergeant Discenza at 415-553-1145, or call the anonymous SFPD tip line at 415-575-4444, or text a tip to TIP411, with "SFPD" in the beginning of the message.
Previously: Suspect In Infamous 2015 Hayes Valley Quadruple Homicide Arrested