GUILTY CA - Dominic Sarkar, 56, murder-for-hire victim, Fremont, Alameda County, 8 Oct 2018 *arrests*

[cybervampira]

Pair charged as Fremont police call chef's death a murder-for-hire

A trove of recovered text messages, a suspicious wire transfer and $800,000 in life insurance policies have convinced police that Fremont chef Dominic Sarkar was killed in his sleep this fall as a result of a murder-for-hire plot.

Alameda County prosecutors on Thursday charged Sarkar’s sometimes-sexual partner Maria Moore, 50, and Marvel Salvant, 46, with Sarkar’s murder. They added special circumstances for both — murder for financial gain and murder by lying in wait — making them eligible for the death penalty if convicted.

Sarkar was asleep in his bed at about 12:30 a.m. on Oct. 8 when an intruder made his way into the Charleston Way home and shot the 56-year-old man several times before fleeing.

Police immediately suspected that the slaying was targeted. None of Sarkar’s roommates were assaulted, and it didn’t appear any valuables were missing from the residence, according to a probable cause document filed by police.

[...]

The two were arrested on Dec. 18, and booked into Alameda County jail.

Prosecutors are additionally charging Salvant with being a felon in possession of a firearm, noting that he had drug convictions in 1992 and 1995.

Salvant is scheduled for an arraignment Friday at 9 a.m., and Moore’s is slated for Jan. 11 at 9 a.m.

Popular Chef Identified As Fremont Homicide Victim

2 Charged in Fremont Murder-for-Hire Plot for Insurance: DA

BREAKING: Popular Indian American Chef Dominic Sarkar Allegedly Killed by Paramour and Accomplice for $800K Life Insurance Money

 

[JoeFromLB]

I just happened upon this story from 2018, and cannot find anything at all in the news since their arrests. No updates since December of 2018.

Does anyone have any idea what became of this case? I guess I'll have to try the Alameda County court records. A lot of counties do not make their records accessible to the public unless you know the case number. It's often very frustrating to attempt to learn the progress of these murder cases.

 

[JoeFromLB]

Okay, success!
Alameda County court records are not only open to the public, there is no required registration or fee.

Marvel Salvant's preliminary hearing was scheduled for January 13th, 2020. That's the last entry. No further hearings are set so far. COVID-19 has probably delayed everything indefinitely.

case number: 18-CR-019696A
SALVANT, MARVEL
1/13/2020 8:45 AM
Preliminary Hearing

 

[Marg from Oz]

This covid19 is holding up a lot of cases.

 

[YaYa_521]

Pair Found Guilty In 2018 Murder-For-Hire Of Mountain View Chef Dominic Sarkar
FEBRUARY 10, 2022
SBM
The Alameda County District Attorney's Office said a jury on Monday found Marvel Salvant and Maria Moore guilty of first-degree murder with special circumstances in Sarkar's killing. [snip] Both Moore and Salvant were expected to be sentenced on March 9.

Two sentenced to life in prison without parole in Fremont murder-for-hire plot for $800,000 insurance payout
March 22, 2022
SBM
A man and woman were sentenced this month to life in prison without the possibility of parole for killing a Fremont man as part of a murder-for-hire plot to reap an $800,000 insurance payout. [snip] Salvant also received an additional, concurrent sentence of 25 years to life for his use of a firearm in the killing.