Isiah Turner, age 34, was killed on August 14, 2008, in a double-homicide near the University of San Francisco. The incident involved multiple members of the "Central Divisadero Players" gang, a San Francisco-based group known for violence, racketeering, and other criminal activities. Turner, along with Andre Helton, was found shot to death inside a parked car.
Both men were killed as part of the gang's activities, which included maintaining territory and power through intimidation and violence. Charles Heard, a prominent member of the gang, was later convicted of their murders, among other charges.
Heard and Jaquain Young, also affiliated with the Central Divisadero Players, were sentenced to multiple life terms for their roles in the murders and various gang-related crimes, including racketeering conspiracy. The convictions followed a lengthy trial, where jurors heard about the gang's operations across San Francisco. The prosecution emphasized that Heard was directly responsible for the murders of Turner and Helton, which were carried out as part of the gang's broader campaign of violence and intimidation across the Western Addition neighborhood of San Francisco.
The sentences handed down by Judge William Orrick in 2018 marked an important effort to bring justice to the victims of these violent gang activities and to curb the influence of the Central Divisadero Players in San Francisco. Despite the tragic loss of life, law enforcement's concerted efforts eventually led to multiple arrests and life sentences, including the dismantling of key figures in the gang's operations. This case stands as part of a broader strategy to fight organized crime and reduce violence in the city.
