Judge denies Price’s motion to dismiss enhancement charges against ex-deputy for double murder
ALAMEDA COUNTY, Calif. - A judge has denied the Alameda County district attorney's motion to dismiss special circumstance charges and enhancements against a former Alameda County Sheriff's deputy accused of double murder.
Judge Paul Delucchi at a preliminary hearing on Wednesday denied the motion. The sheriff's deputy, Devin Williams, is charged with double murder in the September 2022 shooting deaths of a married Dublin couple, Benison and Maria Tran. The victims were 57 and 42 years old respectively when they were killed.
In a news release, representatives for Dolan Law Firm said, "The Tran family strongly opposed the DA's efforts to do so as it would have reduced the maximum sentence from life in prison without parole to 25 years to life with the possibility of parole in 25 years."
Williams' mother Anitra told KTVU her son had been in a romantic relationship with one of the victims. She had warned her son against being with Maria Tran, whom he had met at John George Psychiatric Hospital in San Leandro, where Tran worked as a nurse. Williams' mother claimed Tran told her son she was an unmarried woman and that she was a single mother who was recently divorced.
"We strongly oppose any reduced penalties for Mr. Williams, a cold-blooded killer, and we are grateful for the judge's ruling. Our fight to hold the District Attorney accountable will continue. We call on District Attorney [Pamela] Price to abandon her efforts to reduce the charges and do her job, enforce the law and provide justice for Benison and Maria," said Jennie Tran, sister of Maria Tran.
Williams is also accused of leading officers on a chase into the Central Valley before surrendering. Following the murders, Williams spoke with Dublin's chief of police over the phone. He eventually surrendered to the California Highway Patrol in Fresno County.
Williams was off duty at the time of the shooting. He was suspended from his position in August 2023. He was a former Stockton police officer, but failed his probationary period after a year.
"Before Williams was hired by the Alameda County Sheriff's Office, he underwent pre-employment psychological profile which is reported to have found him ‘not suited' and therefore ineligible to be given a gun and badge. He was hired anyways and, indeed, it is reported he used his service revolver to kill Maria and Benison," Dolan law firm said in a statement.
In addition, the law firm said the victims' child is now an orphan.
Dolan law had criticized the initial dismissal of the special enhancements and circumstances, saying D.A. Price's decision gave the appearance of striking a deal with law enforcement, a group they say she has struggled to develop a good working relationship with. They said the officer here was being treated differently and more leniently by the D.A.
KTVU's Henry Lee contributed to this report.
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