Landlord Who Murdered Tenant In SMC Sentenced To 40 Years To Life: DA

REDWOOD CITY, CA — An East Palo Alto man has been sentenced to 40 years to life in state prison for the murder of his tenant, whom he fatally shot during an argument in December 2022, prosecutors announced Monday.

John Caisiano Thompson, 47, received the sentence for second-degree murder and assault, according to the San Mateo County District Attorney’s office.

Thompson shot 32-year-old Breanna Labat, a FedEx worker, inside his home on Daphne Way where she rented a room, prosecutors said.

He was also convicted of assault after a stray bullet struck another man during the incident, prosecutors said.

Labat was reported missing to police, and following an extensive search, East Palo Alto Police Department detectives said that Thompson was responsible for her death.

Labat’s body has never been recovered, prosecutors said.