Features

Award offered in murder case 

The Berkeley Police are offering a $15,000 reward for any information about the murder of Mario Deshawn Mills, 20, in the 1400 block of Derby on May 20. Police spokesman Mary Kusmiss said investigators are seeking the public’s help.  

“The most important thing we want to convey is that we really need the help of the community because detectives have no leads,” she said. “Right now there are no specific suspects or a motive.” 

The coroner confirmed that Mills died of gunshot wounds but police are not saying how many times he was shot or the caliber of weapon.  

City Council has approved rewards of $15,000 in all unsolved murder investigations. The city manager approved the reward for information related to the Mills case on Wednesday.  

Police are asking anyone with information about this case to call (510) 981-5741. 

Homemade fireworks 

Police responded to citizen reports of fireworks at Golden Gate Fields at 2 a.m. on May 31. Officers determined the fireworks had been set off at the Berkeley Marina and conducted a search of the area.  

They spotted three men walking along the shoreline, one of whom tried to ditch a duffle bag. The officers detained the three suspects and, upon searching the duffel bag, discovered 25 homemade explosive devices and five homemade rocket-type engines.  

Given the apparent volatility of the devices, officers called in the bomb squad to secure the suspected explosives. The three men, none of whom were from Berkeley, were arrested and charged with unlawful possession of fireworks.  

Early morning drug bust 

At 7 a.m. on May 29, Berkeley’s special investigative narcotics officers served a search warrant on a suspected drug dealers apartment in the 2700 block of Sacramento Street.  

Police discovered 11 grams of rock cocaine, 21 grams of marijuana and packaging materials such as a scale, baggies and razors. A man and woman, both 43 years old, were arrested for the suspected possession of crack cocaine and marijuana for sale. Just six days earlier, the male suspect had completed federal parole requirements stemming from a previous conviction for possession of crack cocaine. 

DVD robbery 

On Wednesday two men, 21 and 22, were arrested and booked for robbery and possession of stolen property. Officers discovered three stolen DVD VCR combination units in the suspects’ car after a chase. The electronics, allegedly stolen from Radio Shack at 2500 Shattuck Ave., were valued at $130 each. A fourth box in the car was empty. There was, however, a DVD VCR unit from a previous robbery of a Radio Shack in El Cerrito discovered in the suspects’ car. 

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A San Pablo woman was arrested and charged with felony drunk driving and vehicular manslaughter after a man was killed when she drove into his stopped car on Interstate 80 near the Ashby interchange. 

The victim is Nigussi Boru, 35, an Ethiopian man who lived in San Leandro.  

Boru was a driving a 1992 Mitsubishi westbound on Interstate 80 when he rear ended a 23-San Jose man who was driving a 1998 Saturn. The Saturn spun completely around and Boru’s car came to a stop after hitting the Saturn a second time.  

Moments after Boru’s car had come to a standstill in the number three lane, the San Pablo woman, 30, crashed into his car at a high rate of speed without braking.  

Boru was rushed to Highland Hospital where he was pronounced dead.  

The suspect was also taken to Highland Hospital and treated for minor injuries before being booked into the Berkeley jail for felony drunken driving and vehicular manslaughter.  

The San Jose man was also treated for minor injuries.  

- Daily Planet staff and Bay City News reports