Crime & Safety

Roommate of Cherryland Homicide Victim Being Held on Suspicion of Murder

The suspect previously served 10 years in state prison on a manslaughter conviction for killing his other roommate in Oakland.

Bay City News — The roommate of a man who was has been arrested on suspicion of murder, an Alameda County sheriff's spokesman said today.

The suspect, 54-year-old handyman Michael Wyatt, previously served 10 years in state prison on a manslaughter conviction for killing another roommate in Oakland, sheriff's Sgt. J.D. Nelson said.

His previous conviction was about 15 years ago, when he shot and killed Titus Crowder, 29, in 1995 according to The Oakland Tribune.

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Nelson said Wyatt had been free on parole from state prison for about five years after completing his sentence for killing Crowder.

James Nobles, 59, was found dead around 7:30 a.m. Wednesday near the 500 block of Hampton Road in the Cherryland neighborhood, Nelson said.

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Sheriff's investigators learned that Nobles lived in the 700 block of Hampton Road, a short distance from the spot where his body was found.

Further investigation led them to suspect that Wyatt was involved in the murder, and Nelson said it is believed that Wyatt killed Nobles in the home then dumped his body during the night.

Investigators served a search warrant at the home on Friday.

Wyatt turned himself in to the Hayward Police Department on Sunday, and was taken to the sheriff's in San Leandro, where he cooperated with investigators, Nelson said.

Wyatt is being held without bail at the Santa Rita Jail in Dublin, and is tentatively scheduled to be arraigned at the Hayward Hall of Justice on Wednesday afternoon.

Because of his history, Wyatt is being held in a cell by himself, Nelson said.

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