Edward Adam French, a 71-year-old photographer, was shot and killed on July 16, 2017, during a robbery at the popular Twin Peaks scenic overlook in San Francisco, California. French was at Twin Peaks early in the morning, photographing the under-construction Salesforce Tower, when he was approached by Fantasy Decuir and Lamonte Mims. The two assailants attempted to steal his camera, and during the struggle, Decuir shot French, fatally wounding him.
Mims subsequently kicked French before they fled the scene, taking his Canon camera with them.
The suspects, Decuir and Mims, attempted to sell the stolen camera soon after the incident in the SOMA neighborhood of San Francisco. Less than two weeks after French's murder, they robbed two tourists at gunpoint outside St. Mary’s Cathedral, which led to their identification and eventual arrest. The pair was convicted of first-degree murder by a jury in 2024 after a lengthy and delayed legal process. The case was marked by a previous mistrial in 2023, where the jury failed to reach a verdict.
During the trial, evidence was presented, including security footage and witness testimony, depicting the robbery and shooting. Prosecutors described the killing as a callous act motivated by the desire to steal French's camera, highlighting the senselessness of the crime. Defense arguments claimed that Decuir, who was struggling with health issues and cognitive impairments, lacked the intent to commit the crime. Nonetheless, the jury found both defendants guilty of murder, bringing some measure of closure to French's family and friends, who had waited years for justice to be served.
