Special to The Bee (Jan Scully and Phyllis Loya) Jan Scully, Sacramento County district attorney, and Phyllis Loya, the mother of a murdered Pittsburg police officer, are responding to Tuesday’s Viewpoints article “Death penalty in California does not make us any safer.” The article stated that the ballot initiative SAFE California “will provide public protection [...]
Christopher Zerr, Gary Melke and John Harrigan

On Tuesday December 3, 1985, Mitchell Sims, a disgruntled pizza delivery driver, went to the Domino’s Pizza in Hanahan, South Carolina where he worked. He robbed and shot his two-coworkers, Christopher Zerr and Gary Melke. Although Melke was shot four times in the head and neck, he was able to flee to the nearby police [...]
Rickie Blake’s Story
Lamar and Ernestine Matthews’ Story

Lamar and Ernestine Matthews were both 75 years of age and were planning to celebrate their 50th Anniversary in September of 2004. Lamar Matthews was a retired probation officer and Ernestine Matthews was a retired teacher. Both victims were active in their community as well as their college alumni association. After their murders, the City [...]
Eva Chu’s Story

On April 17, 1979, 29-year-old Eva Chu left work to go to a doctor’s appointment. She was 7 months pregnant. She was kidnapped, raped and strangled by Joseph Aguayo. Her body was found 4 days later on the banks of a creek in Sacramento County. Joseph Aguayo had 6 felony convictions before Eva’s kidnapping, rape [...]