On April 6, 2016, a jury found defendant Larry Darnell Fuller guilty of first degree murder with the special circumstance of killing a witness to prevent testimony for the 2004 killing of Samy Sanjay. Defendant Fuller was also convicted of possession of a firearm by a felon.
“While we cannot undo the tragedy of Samy Sanjay’s murder, we do hope that this verdict brings his family and loved-ones a sense that justice has been served on his behalf,” says prosecutor Stacie Pettigrew.
“I wish to thank the members of the jury for their hard work and dedication throughout this difficult trial.”
Background:
In 2000, Defendant Fuller took his car to RyNck Tires in Castro Valley, CA for repairs and left without paying. He returned the following day and robbed the business with a gun. Shortly thereafter, he was prosecuted for felony grand theft, and received a sentence of three years in state prison.
In 2003, he took his car to the same business, and once again left without paying for $2700 worth of repairs. Victim Sanjay was the service manager at RyNck and was the only witness in the 2003 incident. Sanjay testified against Fuller at a parole revocation hearing, and was subpoenaed to testify against Fuller in the criminal grand theft case. Defendant Fuller faced up to 8 years in state prison if convicted in the new matter.
The day before the preliminary hearing in October 2004, at approximately 6:10 am, victim Samy Sanjay left his house for his morning walk and was shot 4 times in the head in his own driveway in Brentwood, CA. His wife heard the shots, found her husband’s body and called 911. There were no witnesses and no physical evidence of evidentiary value left at the scene. Sanjay’s wife told the homicide investigator that Sanjay was fearful of testifying against Fuller because he was aware of the prior theft incident in 2000 when Fuller came back the day after the theft and robbed the business.
At a parole meeting a few days after the murder, two notes were found in Defendant Fuller’s pocket. These included identifying information about the victim taken from the 2003 police report, step-by-step directions to the victim’s home in Brentwood, and vehicle license plate numbers indicating weeks of surveillance of the victim and his family by Defendant Fuller. Additionally, cell phone records place Defendant Fuller in Contra Costa County on the morning of the murder.
Although the murder was committed in Contra Costa County, the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office prosecuted this case, as the motive for the killing stemmed from an Alameda County Case and Mr. Sanjay was killed before his testimony in an Alameda County prosecution.
“This prosecution represents the culmination of years of tireless work by law enforcement agencies, including the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office, Brentwood Police Department, and State Parole,” said District Attorney Nancy O’Malley.
“I commend each and every agency as well as DDA Stacie Pettigrew, DA Inspector James Rullamas and Victim-Witness Advocate Maria Suniga for their commitment and professionalism in this challenging criminal prosecution,” she said. Additional assistance was provided by ACSO Cold Case Investigator Jason Hawks.
Defendant Larry Darnell Fuller is scheduled to be sentenced on May 25, 2016.
Source:
http://www.alcoda.org/newsroom/2016/apr/people_v_larry_fuller
1 comment
Good luck, Brentwood.
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