Crime & Safety
1 Charged In Homeless Man's Beating Death: Sonoma County DA
A manslaughter charge has been filed against one defendant, while no charges were brought against the other man arrested in the homicide.
SANTA ROSA, CA — The Sonoma County District Attorney's Office Tuesday decided not to file charges against one of two homeless men who were arrested in connection with the beating death of another homeless man in Santa Rosa on Thursday.
Solomon Fret, 55, will not face charges for the death of Derrick Young, 50, of Santa Rosa, but he remains in the Sonoma County Jail for violating his probation for a 2017 misdemeanor battery case. Fret failed to show up at the jail on Jan. 29, and Sonoma County Superior Court Judge Jamie
Thistlethwaite on Tuesday afternoon ordered him to finish serving 90 days in jail.
Deputy District Attorney Jenica Leonard said prosecutors did not charge Fret because there was insufficient evidence.
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Another man, charged in the beating death, is William Amons, 62, of San Francisco. Amons was arraigned Tuesday afternoon on suspicion of voluntary manslaughter without malice and assault. The complaint alleges the manslaughter occurred during a sudden quarrel and in the heat of passion.
Amons delayed entering a plea to the charges and his next court appearance is Feb. 14.
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Police said that two men confronted Young in a dispute over a bicycle and repeatedly struck him in the upper body with blunt objects. The suspects fled and Young died at the scene, Lt. John Cregan said.
A female witness ran to the El Brinquito Restaurant at 810 Piner Road to report a man was being beaten with a stick behind a nearby business.
The witness gave a detailed description of the suspect and police responded around 9:40 p.m. Thursday, Cregan said.
Officers found Young with blunt force trauma behind an industrial building in the 900 block of Piner Road.
Amons was allegedly found moments later on a bicycle in the 1700 block of Piner Road. He had injuries consistent with a fight and he matched the witness's description of the suspect, Cregan said. Amons was arrested and booked without bail in the Sonoma County Jail on suspicion of murder.
Fret was arrested Friday based on statements from witnesses and involved parties, Cregan said.
Several homeless people were living in vehicles parked behind the industrial buildings in the area and others commonly gather there, Cregan said.
Police are actively seeking other unidentified witnesses to the homicide. Anyone with information is asked to call Santa Rosa police at 707-543-3590.
The Sonoma County Alliance is offering a reward of up to $2,500 for information leading to the convictions of the suspects.
By Bay City News Service
Booking photo courtesy Santa Rosa Police Department
