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SF police identify female suspect in hate crime against popular dog walker, but shes now missing
San Francisco police are looking for the woman they say is responsible for the racist items left at a popular dog walkers home in the Alamo Square neighborhood. The dog walker, whos Black, says hes shocked that recognizes the suspect. Shes a neighbor and shes Black herself.
SAN FRANCISCO - San Francisco police are asking for the public's help in locating a woman who is a suspect in a hate crime and has been reported missing by her family.
April Martin Chartrand, 67, is wanted after threatening and racist items were left near a man's home in the 900 block of Grove Street about 7:10 a.m. on April 26, police said.
Chartrand was reported missing by her family on Aug. 23, police said.
In June, SFPD released surveillance video showing a person of interest involved in their investigation. The video was taken around the time the victim had reported receiving several threats near his home, including a voodoo doll depicting what appeared to be a Black person with a noose around the neck.
The victim of the hate crime was the popular San Francisco Alamo Square-based dog walker Terry Williams.
Williams said he recognized the suspect from the neighborhood.
While he's relieved about the break in the case, he said he's trying to make sense of the suspect, who is a Black woman, and wants her held accountable.
"I was shocked," Williams said about the suspect. "It's a disgrace to Black people and you're an elder." He said Chartrand lives around the corner from him and his parents.
He said he had a run in with Chartrand about five years ago over her putting out broken pieces of glass at the front entrance of her apartment building.
Williams said he would tell her that his dog would routinely walk by and ask her not to place the glass there. He said he took her photo. He said that's when she became upset with him, but that it didn't escalate beyond an exchange of words. He said there was some lingering hostility whenever they saw each other.
He said she would, "give me a little mean look. Stop and stare at me. I would be driving by or walking by and she'd say get your dogs away from me."
Williams was shown an outpouring of support when the community rallied behind him after the crime.
In May, the dog walker's home burned while his parents were inside. The family, already rattled from the racist threats, was displaced by the fire, and the home was red-tagged. Williams' disabled 76-year-old mother was nearly killed.
Williams' mother, Carolyn, recalled her rescue. "To me, it's a miracle that they found me. It scares me sometime."
There are plenty of supportive messages posted to the Williams' home. The family plans to rebuild the home in the months ahead.
The San Francisco Fire Department said there was no update on the fire investigation. So far, the police and fire department have not said the fire was linked to the hate crime committed.
Anyone who locates Chartrand should call 911 and report her location and physical description, police said.
"I hope they catch her. Any family helping her, they should go to jail too," Williams said.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the San Francisco Police Department at (415) 575-4444 or text to TIP411 and begin the message with SFPD.
Bay City News' Pete Young contributed to this story.
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