On May 1, 2024, 32-year-old Jingwei "Melanie" Zhang and 38-year-old Dorothy Mak were fatally shot in their shared residence on Dermody Avenue in San Lorenzo, California. Their bodies were discovered on May 4, 2024, after concerned family members, unable to reach them since April 30, requested a welfare check by the Alameda County Sheriff's Office.
The primary suspect, 31-year-old Howard Reed, also resided with Zhang and Mak.
Following the discovery of the victims, an alert was issued for Reed and his vehicle. He was apprehended in Kansas after the Kansas Highway Patrol received a license plate reader hit on his vehicle. Reed was subsequently extradited to California and booked into the Santa Rita Jail.
The Alameda County District Attorney's Office charged Reed with two counts of murder with special circumstances, indicating the possibility of a severe sentence if convicted. As of the latest reports, the investigation remains active, and authorities have not publicly disclosed a potential motive for the shootings.
