A man has been arrested and charged in connection with a cold-case double-homicide that occurred in January 2015 in San Francisco's Bayview District which took the life of a mother of three who was standing outside her home.
San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins announced murder charges Tuesday against 34-year-old Anthony James Tyree of Pittsburg, who stands accused of the January 27, 2015 killing of two people on Ingalls Street near Revere Avenue in the Bayview District.
Among those who were killed was 36-year-old Maria Soza, a mother of three who was reportedly running to protect her children outside her home when she was struck by a stray bullet. Her family put out a public plea 10 years ago for witnesses to come forward in the case, but there has apparently been no movement in the case until recently.
In what appeared to be a gang-related shooting, a vehicle in which Tyree was allegedly a passenger overtook another while traveling southbound on Ingalls Street. A barrage of bullets struck both the driver and passenger of the other vehicle, an Infinity, as well as Ms. Soza. The driver of the Infinity was wounded, and the passenger was also killed.
Investigators now believe that Tyree and another passenger both fired from the Dodge pickup truck they were traveling in. The identity of the other suspect has not been publicized.
An arrest warrant was issued and San Francisco police traveled to Tyree's home to arrest him early Monday morning. They say that hidden in his Pittsburg bedroom was "an assault rifle ghost gun" which they found after his arrest.
Tyree, who has also gone by the nicknames Dot and Dot Diggla, has now been charged with two counts of murder as well as one count of attempted murder. Allegations and special circumstances include personally and intentionally using a firearm in the commission of the murders, committing multiple murders, and committing a drive-by shooting. He was also charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm.
His arraignment was scheduled for today, Tuesday, at 1:30 pm. The DA's office says it is hoping to keep him detained pending trial, due to the risk to public safety.
This remains an open and active investigation, and police are asking anyone with information to call the SFPD tip line at 415-575-4444 or text a tip to TIP411 and begin the text message with SFPD. You may remain anonymous.
Photo via Google Street View
