OAKLAND — Months after a decide praised an Oakland homicide defendant as a “wonderful young man” and launched him from jail, police in Stanislaus County have publicly recognized him as an “armed and dangerous” fugitive who allegedly killed a person final month.
Keyante Reed, 19, was launched from jail in January by Alameda County Choose Elena Condes, and for the following a number of months was deemed compliant by Alameda County probation officers who run a pretrial launch program. However then got here September, when Reed was first wounded in a shootout nearly similar to the one which led to his Oakland homicide case.
He was hospitalized and jailed on suspicion of gun possession, then free of custody, in accordance with court docket data. Simply 10 days later, he allegedly shot and killed a person on Sept. 19 in Riverbank in Stanislaus County, data present.
On Oct. 18, 2024, Reed was charged with murdering 50-year-old Lamar Payne in a Sept. 7, 2024 shootout exterior the Go Go Amigo Market, close to a hundred and fifth Avenue and E Avenue in East Oakland. Police say Reed and two different males started firing at each other, killing Payne, a bystander, within the course of. A second suspected gunman was recognized as 21-year-old Michai Adams and charged with homicide this 12 months. A 3rd suspect, 22-year-old Tamarkus Killensworth, was arrested on gun prices, court docket data present.
After Reed’s arrest, his lawyer argued in court docket that Reed — who turned 18 simply six weeks earlier than the murder — was the sufferer of an ambush that day, and stating that he was focused for violence by Payne’s pals inside Santa Rita Jail. One help letter from an engagement specialist at Laney School, described Reed as “one of the most respectful and considerate” college students he had noticed. One other letter, from Reed’s mom, stated it was “mind boggling” that Reed would find yourself a homicide defendant.
“My boy is a great kid. He’s smart, he’s a big help in my family. I love the way he interacts with his siblings. No matter what the situation is, you could count on him,” Reed’s mom wrote.
Choose Condes was at first apprehensive about releasing Reed, noting that it appeared from surveillance footage that he had fired at individuals who have been “retreating” from the shootout. When she ultimately signed off on his launch to accommodate arrest, Condes cited his enrollment at Laney School and the truth that Reed had been shot twice in Oakland since shifting there from Las Vegas at age 16.
“You sound like a wonderful young man,” Condes advised him in court docket. “I am sure that you are meant for much better things.”
However nearly precisely one 12 months to the day after Payne was gunned down, Reed returned to the identical retailer, allegedly armed with a .40 caliber pistol, and the identical factor occurred once more. This time, at round 11 a.m. final Sept. 9, police responded to a report of a shootout exterior the GoGo Amigo market. They found two piles of casings, and located Reed, wounded by a 9 mm pistol, hiding with a handgun subsequent to him, authorities stated.
Police say the person who allegedly shot Reed was recognized as De’Vonte Lowe, 33, and arrested on gun prices throughout a Sept. 18 site visitors cease.
On the time of Reed’s arrest final 12 months, Oakland police stated he was recognized to promote marijuana close to the shop.
Reed was hospitalized, listed in secure situation, and as soon as cleared by medical doctors, he was booked into Santa Rita Jail on suspicion of gun possession. At a court docket look the next day, Alameda County prosecutors made no movement to detain him for allegedly possessing a gun, nor did they find yourself charging him within the Sept. 9 capturing, court docket data present. He was launched from jail inside days of his arrest, with a court docket look set for Oct. 1.
Then, round 4 p.m. on Sept. 19, Stanislaus County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a report of a capturing on the 100 block of Claus Street in Riverbank, the place they discovered Markesse Owens dying from gunshot wounds. He was pronounced deceased later that day. Investigators recognized Reed because the suspect, and on Sept. 23, the sheriff’s workplace issued a public alert to be out looking out for Reed.
Reed didn’t present up for his Oct. 1 court docket look in Oakland, and so a decide issued a warrant for his arrest there, too.
Simply three months in the past, an Alameda County probation officer wrote that Reed seemed to be largely profitable on pretrial launch, regardless of not offering proof that he’d enrolled in a GED program.
“The defendant is a new father and appears to participate in the child’s life and upbringing on a regular basis. He is actively taking classes in parenting” the report says, later quoting a category supervisor who stated, “Overall, Mr. Reed has shown commitment and progress in his reunification efforts.”
Police have described Reed as a Black man with black hair and brown eyes, standing at about 5 feet10 inches tall and weighing about 177 kilos. Police are urging anybody who sees him to name 911, and any witnesses in Owens’ killing to contact Detective Mario Hernandez at 209-525-7075. Nameless suggestions might be made by calling Stanislaus Space Crime Stoppers at 866-602-7463.
Employees author Harry Harris contributed reporting
