Anthony Singh, a 19-year-old resident of Vallejo, California, was tragically shot and killed on August 19, 2018, near an apartment complex in Antioch. The incident occurred in the early hours of the morning, around 3:28 a.m., when police responded to reports of a shooting at the 2200 block of San Jose Drive. Upon arrival, officers found Singh and another 19-year-old man suffering from gunshot wounds in the parking lot.
Singh was pronounced dead at the scene, while the other victim was transported to a local hospital and underwent surgery.
The investigation revealed that Singh's murder was a targeted act of retaliation. Terrance Webb, 41, and Gale Joseph Young, 38, were identified as the primary suspects in the case. Both men were members of the Big Block/Harbor Road gang, which originated in the Hunters Point area of San Francisco. The motive behind the killing was linked to the murder of their friend, Matthew “Higgz” Higginbotham, who had been shot and killed by Singh a month earlier. Webb and Young meticulously planned the retaliation, gathering intelligence on Singh and tracking his movements.
On the night of the murder, Webb and Young received information from Victoria Collins' son that Singh was at a nightclub in San Francisco. They followed Singh across the San Francisco Bay to Antioch, where they eventually encountered him at a gas station. A few minutes later, Singh and his passenger were ambushed and shot multiple times while sitting in their car. The prosecution's case against Webb and Young was bolstered by gang and gun enhancements, highlighting the premeditated nature of the crime.
In June 2020, a jury convicted Webb and Young of first-degree murder, along with gang and gun enhancements. They were acquitted of attempting to murder the other man in the car with Singh. Both men now face life sentences without the possibility of parole. Victoria Collins, who was accused of being an accessory to the murder, was acquitted of that charge but found guilty of possessing ammunition. Collins had attempted to change her car's appearance after police released sketches of the suspects and linked her vehicle to the crime.
The case underscored the violent dynamics within gang culture and the lengths to which individuals would go to avenge the death of a fellow gang member. The successful prosecution of Webb and Young brought some measure of justice for Anthony Singh's family, although the loss of their loved one remains a profound tragedy. The Antioch Police Department and the Contra Costa County District Attorney's Office played crucial roles in bringing the perpetrators to justice, ensuring that those responsible for Singh's death were held accountable for their actions.
