On August 18, 1980, Arthur Jennings, an 83-year-old white male and World War I veteran, was found murdered in his Oakland, California home. A Meals-on-Wheels driver, who had delivered a meal and spoken with Jennings around 10:30 a.m. that day, discovered his body the following morning. Jennings, who walked with a cane, had suffered a fractured spine from a backward fall, multiple bruises on his face, head, neck, and upper body, and fractures to his larynx and hyoid bones.
The cause of death was determined to be asphyxiation due to manual strangulation.
The investigation led to the arrest of David Edwin Mason, a 23-year-old male, on February 4, 1981. Mason had a prior acquaintance with Jennings, having engaged in sexual activities with him during his teenage years. On the day of the murder, Mason visited Jennings's home under the pretense of seeking something to do. Upon Jennings opening the door, Mason forced his way in, causing Jennings to fall. A struggle ensued, during which Mason punched and strangled Jennings. After the murder, Mason stole Jennings's World War I military service ring and approximately $16.
Mason was also linked to the murders of three other elderly individuals in Oakland: Joan Picard Antoinette Brown and Dorothy Lang all of whom were robbed and strangled between March and December 1980. Additionally, while incarcerated, Mason murdered his cellmate, Boyd Johnson, on May 9, 1982. He was convicted of five counts of first-degree murder with special circumstances and sentenced to death on January 27, 1984. Mason was executed in the gas chamber at San Quentin State Prison on August 24, 1993.
: https://law.justia.com/cases/california/supreme-court/3d/52/909.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com "People v. Mason :: :: Supreme Court of California Decisions. .."
: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Mason_%28murderer%29?utm_source=chatgpt.com "David Mason "
: https://mylifeofcrime.wordpress.com/category/inmate-murder-2/?utm_source=chatgpt.com "Inmate Murder - Bonnie's Blog of Crime"
