Leemo Tagaleoo, a 35-year-old resident of San Francisco, was tragically shot and killed on October 18, 2020, in Oakland, California. The incident occurred shortly before 1 a.m. on the 9900 block of MacArthur Boulevard. According to court records, Jacobia Perkins, 34, was identified as the primary suspect in the case. Perkins was Tagaleoo's boyfriend, and multiple witnesses described him as the shooter.
Although video surveillance did not capture the actual shooting, it did show Perkins fleeing the scene after multiple shots were fired. Perkins was arrested in November 2020 in San Francisco, where he was found in possession of Tagaleoo's phone. He was initially released but was later re-arrested on a murder warrant in March 2021.
The legal proceedings against Perkins revealed more details about the case. Perkins was charged with the murder of Leemo Tagaleoo, along with gun possession and enhancements alleging he personally shot her. During the investigation, an anonymous tip suggested that the couple had been arguing about infidelity allegations, although this could not be verified. An eyewitness testified that Perkins and Tagaleoo had entered a bedroom together, and Tagaleoo was fatally shot while they were alone in the room. Perkins attempted to disguise himself and evade capture, but he was eventually apprehended by police after a brief foot chase.
In a plea deal with Alameda County prosecutors, Perkins pleaded no contest to voluntary manslaughter. This plea resulted in a 15-year prison sentence, which was finalized in July 2024. Perkins had already served approximately four years in jail, which counted towards his prison sentence. The plea deal also involved dropping the initial murder charge. Throughout the legal process, Perkins maintained that he was grieving the loss of his fiancée, as evidenced by his social media posts following the incident.
