On October 9, 2021, a jury found defendant Damone Haynes guilty of first-degree murder for the death of Charles Billings.
On July 26, 2019, Billings was seated inside his van, which was parked along the curb on Bancroft Avenue in Oakland. Haynes and two other men had gone to buy heroin from Billings. They pulled up in a vehicle and approached the van. Haynes shot at the victim twice which caused Billings to fall out of his van and into the street. Haynes continued to shoot Billings five more times while Billings was in the street. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Prior to Billings being shot,
Prior to Billings being shot, one of the men entered the victim’s van. Once Billings fell out of the van, he drove away. The suspect vehicle also fled the scene. The victim’s van and the suspect van caravanned to San Leandro, where the victim’s van was eventually dumped.
Cellphone video connected Haynes to the area of the murder, the drive to San Leandro and the area where the van was abandoned.
The jury also found Haynes guilty of felony carjacking and being a felon in possession of a firearm. He was also found guilty of the special allegation of the personal and intentional discharge of a firearm, and great bodily injury.
Co-defendant Anthony Rhodes was found not guilty of all counts, which included murder, carjacking and possession of a firearm by a felon.
DDA Angelina Clay prosecuted the case, with aid from Victim Witness Advocate Tabian Lee and Inspector Eric Milina. Haynes is expected to be sentenced Nov. 5 where he faces 50 years to life in prison.
Posted on Oct 12, 2021