A measly dime-bag of pot deal gone wrong left three men dead in Oakland last month, and now the marijuana dealer has been arrested too, but boy did he have a lengthy list of priors.
We’ve noted that New Year’s weekend was an especially deadly period in Oakland, with two separate homicides on New Year’s Day, and then a triple-murder outside the Sky Market liquor store at roughly 3 am the morning of Saturday, January 3. And as we said in previous coverage, that liquor store triple-homicide was merely over a street marijuana deal gone bad.
That senseless loss of life becomes even more senseless, as new information has come to light. The Bay Area News Group is now reporting that the entire conflict that left three men dead was “motivated by a conflict over a $10 marijuana deal.”
As KTVU explains, that new information is coming to light because a third man has been arrested in connection with the triple-homicide. That suspect is the alleged marijuana street dealer, 58-year-old Jamaal Myers. Myers did not pull the trigger or kill anyone, but he was carrying a gun on him at the time. According to KTVU, “Myers has nine prior felony convictions, including two for assault, and several prior gun convictions, and is legally barred from possessing guns.”
Myers has pleaded not guilty, and has been released after posting $100,000 bail.
The man who allegedly did pull the trigger, and is accused of killing the three victims, is 40-year-old Darrell Tatmon. Tatmon is facing three counts of murder, and could potentially face life in prison with enhancements.
A third suspect, 37-year-old Angelo Lemelle Pharr, was also arrested and has been charged with assault.
Two of the victims killed were brothers, Luis Valdez-Gomez and Kevin Andrew Valdez-Gomez, who were buying the marijuana outside the liquor store. The brother Kevin reportedly did draw his own gun once the conflict between the dealer and the customers started. The third victim, 54-year-old Miguel Ramirez, was merely an innocent bystander who happened to be shopping in the store at the time, and was caught in the crossfire.
Related: East Bay Man Charged With Triple-Murder Over East Oakland Liquor Store Pot Deal Gone Bad [SFist]
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