Grim toll of Bay Area slayings tied to domestic violence

OAKLAND, Calif. - Casey Schenck says she saw many warning signs in the rocky relationship between neighbor Zoe Reidy Watts and her boyfriend - and became her sounding board. 

"I gave her a long talk about life and how domestics is real and if a man shows that much anger toward you that young in a relationship, it's only going to get worse," Schenck told KTVU on Friday outside the apartment building they lived in near 15th and Jackson in downtown Oakland.

But on March 1, Reidy Watts, 25, was found dead from blunt force trauma in her boyfriend's apartment.

An autopsy showed she suffered broken ribs, lacerations and bruises, both fresh and old. 

Oakland police say she had previously reported abuse by her boyfriend, registered sex offender Victor Tyrone Frieson III, 27.

Police say Frieson gave multiple versions of what happened and denied ever hurting her. 

Alameda County prosecutors have charged Frieson with murder and domestic violence, one of a number of recent cases in the Bay Area.

Pleasanton police said a man shot and killed his estranged girlfriend on Thursday, took off in a Lexus, crashed on I-580 in San Leandro and turned the gun on himself.

In San Pablo, Phuc Vo has been arrested and charged with murdering his wife and her mother. Their bodies haven't been found. 

In Pinole, police say Jeffrey Kendall shot and killed his ex-girlfriend Brittany Ligdis with their 4-year-old son present.

Thomas Plante, professor of psychology at Santa Clara University, says it can be challenging to intervene in domestic violence cases with many abusers walling off victims from support networks.

"It doesn't take much to get into a situation that turns violent. And people are more and more isolated and less and less connected to community," Plante said.

Schenck is heartbroken that Reidy-Watts came to her for help and lost her life. 

She had this message for those who may be suffering from domestic abuse: "Deep down, we're only here for ourselves. If a person loves you, the last thing they're gonna do is abuse you or mentally abuse you."

Bay Area resources for those experiencing domestic violence can be found here .

Henry Lee is a KTVU crime reporter. E-mail Henry at Henry.Lee@fox.com and follow him on Twitter @henrykleeKTVU and www.facebook.com/henrykleefan