The two Dublin homicide victims allegedly murdered by an Alameda County Sheriff’s deputy have been identified.
Benison Tran, 57, and his wife, Maria Tran, 42, were killed inside their home after the deputy broke into their house and shot them on Wednesday.
The suspect, deputy Devin Wiliams Jr., was arrested after a 12-hour search. As of Thursday afternoon, Williams is behind bars in Santa Rita Jail in Dublin with no bail.
According to investigators, Williams worked the Tuesday night shift in the Santa Rita Jail. After his shift, he droved to the couple’s house on Colebrook Lane and shot the Trans to death.
Williams knew the victims. However, Sheriff’s Lt. Ray Kelly did not disclose their actual relationship.
“This was a very bizarre chain of events. Our agency is in shock. This is not what we’re about. We had no idea that this could happen. Mr. Williams grew up in a very affluent home, was well loved, graduated from college with honors. He was really a remarkable young person. How we got here today … it will be something we will be looking at,” Kelly said.
The Tran’s child was at home during the shooting. An eyewitness identified Williams as the killer and contacted 911 dispatchers as he fled from the scene.
Williams was 160 miles south of Coalinga, California, when Dublin Police Chief Garrett Holmes convinced him to turn himself in.
Police Chief Holmes spoke with William over the phone and convinced him to surrender without hurting himself or anyone else. The deputy disarmed himself before California Highway Patrol officers found him Wednesday noon.
Williams was arrested on charges of first-degree murder.
“Somewhere in the last several months of his life, some significant events happened that led up to this moment. A lot of those events went undiscovered and undisclosed, and we’re going to be looking into that,” Kelly said.
William’s co-workers from the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office said there are no signs that the deputy has been struggling mentally.
The deputy’s first court appearance is on Friday morning in the East County Hall of Justice.
