2-Time Killer Charged With New Murder

OAKLAND, CA — A man with two manslaughter convictions was charged today with murder with special circumstances for allegedly killing another man during a robbery in East Oakland in broad daylight on Saturday morning.

In addition to murder, 50-year-old William Epting is charged with the special circumstance of committing a murder during the course of a robbery for the shooting of 51-year-old Edgar Trammel of Oakland in the 2700
block of 75th Avenue at about 11:30 a.m. Saturday.

Trammel was pronounced dead at a hospital a short time later, according to police.

Epting is also charged with three counts of evading a police officer, two counts of brandishing a firearm and one count of being an ex-felon in possession of a firearm.

Witnesses identified Epting as the suspect who was driving a 1999 Mercury Mystique sedan and pulled alongside Trammel and shot him, Oakland police Officer Jose Barocio wrote in a probable cause statement.

A short time after the shooting, witnesses saw Epting enter a nearby store and brandish a firearm in public, Barocio said.

Officers were directed to Epting's car and tried to stop it but he conducted evasive maneuvers and eluded them, according to Barocio.

Officers spotted Epting near the homicide scene a few minutes later and again tried to stop him but he conducted evasive maneuvers once more by driving the wrong way at a high rate of speed and collided with two motorists, Barocio wrote.

Officers located Epting again a short period later but he continued to evade them and purposely collided with two marked police vehicles, Barocio said.

Epting next drove to Burkhalter Park in the 4100 block of Edwards Avenue, stopped and got our of his Mercury Mystique and fled on foot and led officers on a brief chase until he was finally apprehended, Barocio wrote.

Epting was taken to Highland Hospital in Oakland because he complained he was in pain but he later was cleared from the hospital and brought to Oakland police headquarters to be questioned, according to
Barocio.

Prosecutors allege that Epting was convicted of voluntary manslaughter in Alameda County in both 1990 and 1997.

They also allege that he's been convicted of evading an officer, battery with serious bodily injury, corporal injury to a relationship partner, receiving stolen property, selling a controlled substance and being an ex-felon in possession of a firearm.

— Bay City News; Image via Shutterstock