El Cerrito Man Sentenced to 50 Years for the Murder of a Romantic Rival in San Francisco
An El Cerrito man has pleaded guilty to the 2019 first-degree murder of a romantic rival, which took place on the victim's first day of work and 19th birthday at the San Francisco Conservation Corps in the Bayview district. Hakim Oden, age 25, has been sentenced to 50 years to life in prison after also admitting to a firearm enhancement and a separate 2016 robbery charge. According to the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office, these sentences will run concurrently.
Oden was motivated by jealousy after finding the victim with a woman he was interested in, which spurred him to follow the victim into a building on the 3400 block of Third Street, where he then executed the victim with a gunshot to the back of the head. He then fled to his vehicle, with his firearm in hand, and sped out of the parking lot to escape San Francisco. Oden was eventually apprehended in Riverside County after a shootout with California Highway Patrol (CHP) officers. CBS News San Francisco reports that the chase ended with another shooting incident involving law enforcement, which resulted in Oden sustaining minor injuries before being taken into custody.
“While nothing we do can bring the victim back, I hope that this outcome brings a measure of closure and healing to his friends and family,” said District Attorney Brooke Jenkins via the San Francisco District Attorney's Office, stressing the importance of providing strong advocacy for victims and accountability for perpetrators. Assistant District Attorney Charly Weissenbach echoed these sentiments, acknowledging the tragic loss of the young man on his birthday and expressing hope that the resolution of the case could bring some solace to the grieving family.
The man killed in the shooting was identified by the city's medical examiner as 19-year-old Taiepisi Gutu, a San Francisco resident who succumbed to his injuries after the incident near the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation building on March 25, the same day the murder of the SFCC co-worker occurred; this added layer of violence compounds the tragedy that the community and Gutu's loved ones must grapple with in the wake of these events. Following the shooting, Oden fled south and was located after his vehicle's license plate was picked up by an Automated License Plate Reader, setting off a chain of events that culminated in his arrest by CHP officers.
Oden remains in custody on several charges, including two counts of attempted murder of a police officer, attempted murder, murder, and discharging a firearm, as per jail records outlined by CBS News San Francisco. The legal process will continue as Oden awaits arraignment in San Francisco court in connection with Gutu's killing.
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