Editorials

OAKLAND – Oakland homicide investigators say that a man who stands accused of two unrelated killings has been charged with murder for a third time. 

According to Sgt. Roger Short, 21-year-old Michael Ringo was charged Monday in connection with the killing of Eugene Smith, who was the 49th homicide victim of the year 2000 in Oakland. 

The killing happened early on Aug. 4 on the 2800 block of West Street. Ringo got into an argument with the 29-year-old victim, who pulled out a pellet gun during the discussion, Short said. 

“Ringo called his bluff and pulled out a real gun,” Short said. “He ended up chasing (Smith) and shooting him several times.” 

The case remained unsolved as homicide investigators worked to locate witnesses based only on their street names. Investigators found one witness in April and the other one was found last month. 

Both identified Ringo as the alleged killer, Short said. 

Short and Sgt. Derwin Longmeyer went to the Santa Rita Jail on Friday to talk to Ringo about the homicide. Ringo wouldn’t talk, and then requested to speak to his attorney, Short said. 

Ringo has been in custody since September of 2000, charged with killing 20-year-old San Pablo resident Nicholas Espinoza during a robbery at the Arco gas station at the intersection of San Pablo Avenue and 34th Street. 

The Berkeley Police Department accused Ringo of a second homicide, which happened 12 days after the killing of Eugene Smith.  

The victim was 33-year-old Dwight C. Garland, who was killed execution style outside of a house on the 1200 block of Haskell Street during what Berkeley police called a botched robbery. 

A second person, Cory “CoCo” Jenkins of Oakland, was also charged in connection with the Garland murder. Both men were awaiting trial in Alameda County Superior Court.