Man convicted of murdering 89-year-old during 2019 crime spree

A San Francisco man was convicted Tuesday of first-degree murder and more than a dozen violent crimes from a two-week spree directed at vulnerable residents in 2019.

A jury found Keonte Gathron, 25, guilty of first-degree murder committed during a robbery and burglary, along with eight counts of robbery, kidnapping for robbery, two counts of carjacking, two counts of burglary, elder abuse, and child endangerment. Jurors also found that Gathron personally used a firearm in three of the incidents.

The crimes included the brutal beating of Yik Oi Huang, who was found badly wounded on January 8, 2019 in a Visitacion Valley park that she regularly visited. Huang, an 89-year-old grandmother, died more than a year after the attack.

According to prosecutors, Gathron robbed seven people over 13 days in January 2019, choosing victims who were elderly, young, or appeared vulnerable. Six of his victims were Asian, and many spoke little or no English. Authorities said his victims included three seniors and three juveniles walking to or from school.

“Mr. Gathron is now being held accountable for his crimes that terrorized so many in our community,” Jenkins said in a statement. “My office is committed to fighting for justice in every case for as long as it takes.”

Two weeks after Huang’s assault, police announced the Gathron’s arrest. The assault shook the city, particularly its Asian American community, which clamored for a tougher stance against crime and eventually crystalized with the Stop Asian Hate movement. San Francisco officials honored Huang by renaming the park after her.

Assistant DA Nathan Quigley said victims showed “inspiring” courage by testifying against Gathron, who represented himself at trial. “Each of the surviving victims and witnesses not only had to directly face their assailant … but did so through the use of interpreters, where so much can be lost in translation,” he said.

Gathron remains in custody. Sentencing is set for Nov. 25.