Arrest In Killing Of Castro Valley Woman Found In Burned Out Home
CASTRO VALLEY (KPIX 5) – Five months after a Castro Valley neighborhood was rocked by the murder of a woman in her burned-out home, an arrest has been made in the case.
The Alameda County Sheriff's office said 36-year-old Luckie Dacany killed 59-year-old Andrea St. John in her home, before setting it on fire on December 13, 2016.
"This was a break in the case that we needed to make sure he got charged," Sheriff Gregory Ahern said in a news conference Monday morning.
Authorities said Dacany confessed while he was locked up in San Joaquin County on an unrelated sexual assault charge.
Surveillance video shows what the sheriff's office says is the suspect walking around the neighborhood, randomly picking the victim's home to burglarize.
According to Alameda County, the victim confronted the suspect, he stabbed her, then set her home on fire to cover it up. "The District Attorney determined that the fire was in fact related to torture," Ahern said.
The sheriff's office said it has recovered evidence in the case, including the vehicle involved.
"It is very disturbing to entire neighborhood, the family, our detectives to see something so horrific," Ahern said. "So we are very glad we are able to make sure this person is never able to commit any crimes outside of jail again."
Dacany is facing charges for both murder and torture. The torture charge could lead to a possible death penalty sentence if convicted.
