Defendant was Convicted of Second-Degree Murder, Torture, Domestic Violence, and Causing Great Bodily Injury
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Oakland, Calif. — June 30, 2026 — Alameda County District Attorney Ursula Jones Dickson announced today that a jury has found Victor Frieson guilty of Second Degree Murder, Torture, and Corporal Injury to a Spouse with Great Bodily Injury for the brutal killing of 25-year-old Zoe Nika Reidy Watts in Oakland on March 1, 2024.
The evidence presented at trial established that Zoe and the defendant had been involved in an on-again, off-again dating relationship for less than one year. During that time, there were two reported domestic violence incidents—one in San Francisco and one in Oakland.
On March 1, 2024, the defendant assaulted Zoe inside his Oakland apartment, inflicting catastrophic injuries that resulted in her death.
“Today’s verdict delivers justice for Zoe, whose life was taken in an act of extraordinary violence. She was a talented artist, a dedicated student, and a young woman whose future was filled with promise. While no verdict can restore what her family, friends, and the Bay Area artistic community have lost, we hope today’s decision provides a measure of accountability and peace,” said Ursula Jones Dickson.
Sentencing will be on September 17, 2026, in Department 10 of the Alameda County Superior Court at the Rene C. Davidson Courthouse.
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Contact: damedia@acgov.org