A transgender activist and former teacher was ordered Wednesday to stand trial on three counts of murder for the shooting and stabbing deaths of a teenage man and two women in East Oakland in November 2016.
Dana Rivers, 63, of San Jose, is scheduled to return to Alameda County Superior Court on March 21 to have her trial date set.
She’s accused of killing 19-year-old Toto M. Diambu, who was also known as Benny Diambu Wright, 57-year-old Patricia Wright and 56-year-old Charlotte Reed.
Oakland police who came to the gruesome scene said Rivers was covered with blood, was holding a gasoline canister and was about to flee when she was arrested by officers who responded to reports of gunfire at a house in the 9400 block of Dunbar Drive at about 12:30 a.m. on Nov. 11, 2016.
Source: Transgender Activist Ordered To Stand Trial For Oakland Triple Murder – CBS San Francisco
Rivers was an organizer and participant in “Camp Trans”, the largest organized protest in transgender history. Camp trans was a campaign against the rights of lesbians to hold an annual women-only music festival called “Michfest” on private land.
After 40 years Michfest buckled under the pressure of the boycott and ceased to exist in 2016.
A few months later, in November 2016, David Warfield/Dana Rivers went on to brutally batter, then stab, shoot, and burn two women who were long time Michfest attendees and their adopted son. David/Dana was charged with stabbing, shooting, and beating Patricia Wright and Charlotte Reed and their son Benny, and then burning them.
Source: https://www.gendertrending.com/2019/08/13/media-blackout-on-dana-rivers-michfest-murder-trial/
Thanks for keeping us update on this!
My son was friends with Benny. His mom’s brought my son home with them when I couldn’t pick him up, fed him dinner, and cared for him till I could get there!! Almost 5 years later and still no justice for this family!!
I’m so sorry, Angela. Please give your son my condolences. <3
NEXT HEARING DATE (Thirsday) 12/16/21 9am Receipt of Doctors report
HEARING LOCATION : Rene c Davidson alameda county courthouse http://www.alameda.courts.ca.gov/Pages.aspx/Oakland-Ren-C-Davidson-Courthouse
Per inmate record (search Dana Rivers first/last https://www.acgov.org/sheriff_app/inmateSearch.do
Dana Rivers (aka David Chester Warfield)
VICTIMS;
Patricia Wright & Charlotte Reed (same-sex spouses) and their son Toto M. Diambu, (aka Benny Diambu Wright) 19.
MANNER OF DEATH: Patricia & Charlotte: multiple stab wounds and bullets. Benny shot outside home. Assailant found blood-soaked and armed with multiple blades, metal knuckles and firearms. Attempted arson.
DOCKET: 16-CR-014089
REPORT # : 16-059981
Inmate Record per inmate search link above
Name: RIVERS, DANA
Aliases: David Warfield, David C Warfield, David Chester Warfield
PFN:BLG756
F (note we are told “trans woman” is a type of woman like “white woman” yet this inmate is recorded as white but not recorded as trans).
WHITE
02/16/1955
Eyes: BROWN
Hair: RED
Height: 5’07”
Weight: 140lb
Rivers/Warfield is being held as female in :
Santa Rita Jail
Unit 24E
Of note:
Rivers/Warfield had a history of protesting the Michigan Women’s Music Festival (MWMF) as part of “Camp Trans”. The lesbian victims are reported to have been regular attendees of MWMF for many years.
Let’s hope that this vile man,this misogynist and homophobic killer,is put away for the rest of his miserable life.