DNA evidence frees suspect in rape, murder case

By Alex Katz, STAFF WRITER

OAKLAND — A man arrested two weeks ago in connection with the sexual assault and murder of a 90-year-old Lafayette woman has been ruled out as a suspect by a DNA test, authorities said Friday.

Jeremy King of Moraga was named as a suspect and held for several days earlier this month in connection with the slaying of Anna Elizabeth Vuori, who was found dead in her Lafayette home Dec. 10.

Vuori, who was found lying on her bed, had been sexually assaulted and then suffocated, Contra Costa County Sheriff's officials said.

Investigators have no other suspects in the case, Sheriff's Lt. Kitty Parker said Friday.

King's arrest "was very traumatic," his father Peter King said. "We never believed the charge, and we think it was completely unfair that he was ever arrested."

King was released about 10 days ago after lab results showed that his DNA did not match DNA found at the scene, Parker said.

"Due to the forensic evidence, we have been able to rule him out," she said.

King's attorney Thomas Greerty did not return several calls this week. Greerty described his client as "an unusual person" in a previous news report.

After his release, King, 35, reportedly checked in to a hospital for some sort of psychiatric care.

Peter King said his son was still in the hospital Friday and was unavailable for comment. Jeremy is "very angry" about being arrested and named as a murder suspect, King said.

Sheriff's officials have declined to say what led them to arrest King, or whether King had any connections to Vuori.

King has previous arrests, including a drunk-in-public arrest in Oakland, authorities said. Sources said Contra Costa Sheriff's deputies may have arrested King on Dec. 15 because he was seen in the area of Vuori's house with some of her property.

"I don't believe that for a minute," Peter King said. "They searched our house. They found nothing."

The sheriff's department has not told the King family that Jeremy is no longer a suspect, Peter King said.

Investigators are still working on the case and are looking for witnesses, Parker said.

Anyone with information about the case is asked to call the sheriff's tip line at (866) 846-3592 or Detective Cary Goldberg at (925) 313-2631.