Suspect Arrested In Oakland Triple Homicide Is Transgender Activist And Former Teacher Dana Rivers

The suspect arrested in a triple homicide case in Oakland has been identified as Dana Rivers, the former Sacramento teacher who sued a school district for firing her over her decision to undergo a gender change back in 1999, the LA Times reports.

Dana Rivers, 61, is now facing triple homicide charges, one count of arson, and one count of possession of metal knuckles after killing three victims in Oakland. According to a criminal complaint filed in Alameda County Superior Court, the victims were identified as 57-year-old Patricia Wright, 56-year-old Charlotte Reed, and 19-year-old Toto Diambu, who was shot. Wright and Reed were stabbed and shot while Diambu was shot.

This reads like an admiring hagiography instead of a report about a triple murderer. https://t.co/wOqmM7lOdy

— 4thWaveNow (@4th_WaveNow) November 16, 2016

Rivers was arrested by the Oakland police early Friday after they found her covered in blood outside a home at the 9400 block of Dunbar drive, wrote Officer Hector Jimenez in a statement of facts filed in court.

Someone reportedly called the Oakland police around 12:21 a.m. after hearing multiple gunshots. Moments later the police arrived at the scene and saw Diambu lying on the street. As the Oakland officers tried to help Diambu, a loud banging was heard from the garage. After a few moments, Rivers walked out of the house, according to Jimenez.

Finding Rivers covered in blood, the Oakland officers immediately detained her. After doing a search on her person, they found ammunition and knives inside her pocket, wrote Jimenez.

Police wrote in court documents that Dana Rivers “began to make spontaneous statements about her involvement in the murders.”

The officers then went inside the home from where Rivers emerged and found the bodies of Wright and Reed. They also discovered that the garage was engulfed in flames.

The officers took Rivers into custody and booked her in an Alameda County jail.

San Jose Mercury Newsreports that Wright, a part-time teacher in Oakland, and Reed were married for over a year. Diambu was identified as Wright’s son.

Sources claim that the case involved a domestic dispute, as reported by Fox 2.

It’s not clear whether the arson was committed before or after the murders occurred.

The FBI evidence response team is working with the Oakland police on the case.

Woman Accused In Oakland Triple Homicide In Court https://t.co/Hu1sXygUXc #sanfrancisco pic.twitter.com/ShXStxGElQ

— San Francisco News (@SFnewsnow) November 17, 2016

Dana Rivers came to national attention back in 1999 after she was fired by school officials at Center High School in Antelope over her decision to undergo a sex-change. Rivers later sued the institution. Before long, Dana appeared on Today and Good Morning America to talk about her legal battles with Center Unified School District and her transition.

Rivers, named David Warfield before she transitioned, was a San Francisco native who served in the Navy and as a labor leader in Orange County for the American Federation of Teachers. She was a two-term member of the Huntington Beach Union High School District Board in the 1980s before she moved to North California to become a teacher.

David Warfield worked as a teacher at Center High School in 1990. After undergoing a gender change and changing her name to Rivers, she was told by officials at her school district to remain silent about her sex change. Despite the warnings, Rivers opened up to a couple of students close to her about her transition.

Four parents then came forward to complain to the school board about Rivers’ conduct. The board then decided to fire Dana after voting three to two despite a motion from district administrators that she be issued only a reprimand.

After months of legal disputes, Dana Rivers agreed to resign from the school district in exchange for $150,000 as per a settlement agreement.

“I did nothing to warrant the reactive stance taken against me,” Dana Rivers said in a statement at the time.

Rivers is being detained at Santa Rita Jail without bail and will return to court Wednesday morning.

[Featured Image by Alameda County Sheriff’s Department]