Richmond police arrested a 61-year-old Richmond man on a homicide charge in connection with his brother’s beating death Tuesday night.
Victor Blacknell was taken into custody by Richmond police at about 10:45 p.m. Tuesday at a residence on Maine Avenue, according to authorities. He is being held at the Martinez Detention Facility on a $1 million bail. It is unclear when he is scheduled to for his arraignment.
Richmond police responded to a residence on Potrero Avenue near South 45th Street around 9:30 p.m. on Tuesday night. When officers arrived, medical responders were already there attempting to save 68-year-old Jerome Timmons’ life, but he was pronounced dead at the scene. Police say that it appeared Timmons had been assaulted.
Investigators believe that Timmons and Blacknell had a verbal altercation that escalated into a physical fight.
“The investigation remains in its early stages, and detectives are continuing to determine what led to the altercation,” Richmond police said in a Facebook post about the case Wednesday afternoon.
Anyone with information can contact the Richmond Police Department’s investigations bureau at (510) 621-1288.
Blacknell is an older family member of a notorious Easter Hill Boys gang member, Joe ‘Fatter’ Blacknell, who was convicted in 2012 and sentenced to life in prison for a 2009 crime spree that included murder and armed car robberies.
This is a developing story, and Richmondside will update it when further details are available.
It is disappointing to see an article that appears to emphasize irrelevant details rather than focus on the facts of the case and the humanity of those affected. Including information that has little or no relevance to the incident creates an unnecessary narrative that can unfairly influence public perception of the victims and their family.
Responsible journalism should inform readers, not encourage speculation or imply negative character judgments through selective details. Families who have experienced tragedy deserve fair and balanced reporting, not coverage that appears designed to sensationalize circumstances.
Those involved should be remembered for their lives, not reduced to assumptions created by irrelevant information. I hope future reporting on this matter reflects greater care, accuracy, and respect for those directly impacted.