Surprise turn in East Bay slaying case
East Bay detectives got a surprise break in a “disturbing” killing in Castro Valley, when a 36-year-old man jailed in San Joaquin County for molesting a child admitted to the slaying, the Alameda County sheriff said Monday.
Investigators continue to collect evidence after the Alameda County district attorney last week charged Stockton resident Luckie Dacany with murder, torture and arson in the killing of 59-year-old widow Andrea St. John.
“I’m so proud of our detectives,” Sheriff Gregory Ahern said. “They’ve worked tirelessly. This case has been very disturbing to the neighbors and family.”
Making the slaying particularly unsettling to investigators and residents in the community was its randomness.
Ahern said Dacany was seen on security video walking along the 1800 block of Grove Way in the late-night hours of Dec. 12, apparently looking for a home to burglarize.
When St. John confronted the suspect in her garage, investigators said Dacany stabbed her to death before he went about trying to conceal his crime in a frightful fashion.
Firefighters were called to the home around 2:45 a.m. the next morning as large flames exploded out of the home’s garage. Crews extinguished the blaze in minutes and made the grim discovery of charred human remains.
“He burned her to hide the evidence,” Ahern said. “He was walking around and randomly picked this residence. It’s just a terrible set of circumstances.”
With no suspect or obvious motive immediately identified, the days after the killing stretched to weeks and later months, as detectives started running out of leads. Then on May 2, the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office got a stroke of luck: Dacany confessed to the killing while in custody in San Joaquin County, Ahern said.
Dacany had surrendered to police in February on warrants alleging he molested a child and stole a vehicle.
In recent days, detectives recovered a stolen 2011 Toyota Corolla in Tracy that they believe was used in the Castro Valley crime. Authorities believe Dacany has committed other crimes in Alameda County.
“This is the reason that people get house alarms, get firearms and protect themselves,” Ahern said. “We’re glad we’re able to make sure this person is never going to commit any crimes outside of jail again.”
The special-circumstance killing means Dacany is eligible for the death penalty should the Alameda County district attorney’s office seek it.
Dacany will face charges in San Joaquin County before being moved to face the charges in Alameda County.
St. John was buried in a private ceremony attended by her two adult daughters.