San Francisco: Jury convicts two people of murdering photographer on Twin Peaks in 2017

A brutal 2017 murder case stemming from the robbery of a photographer taking pictures of the Salesforce Tower under construction has finally been closed: the two suspects were convicted more than seven years later.

It's not entirely clear why the wheels of justice in this case – which was pretty straightforward, given the surveillance video of the murder and everything else – were so slow to move. Edward French, 71, a renowned location scout for the film industry, was killed and robbed of his camera bag while taking photos at Twin Peaks on the morning of July 16, 2017.

SF residents Fantasy Decuir, then 20, and Lamonte Mims, then 19, were arrested about two weeks after the fatal shooting, after they had already committed another armed robbery at St. Mary's Cathedral Square. Decuir is believed to be the shooter.

A jury found both Decuir and Mims guilty on Thursday, more than seven years after the crime.

“It's on film, there was no doubt they murdered him,” the victim's sister, Lorrie French, told ABC 7. “Seven years of my life and the lives of all his friends and family until justice is finally served… I don't know if there's something wrong with the system, or if there's something completely wrong.”

Decuir and Mims were convicted of armed robbery last year, but the jury could not agree on the premeditated murder charge, leading to this second trial. The jury in the first trial heard defense testimony that Decuir was in a “sickle cell crisis” and suffering from opiate withdrawal at the time of the shooting, and therefore acted “without conscious deliberation” when she pulled the trigger. Attorneys also argued that she had a low IQ and a “lack of adaptability.”

The victim's family and the public were angry at the time when it was revealed after the two were arrested that Mims was in diversion proceedings stemming from a weapons possession and probation violation charge in early July and that she had just been released from prison at the time of French's murder.

After the first trial concluded last year, French's partner Brian Higginbotham paid tribute to French, SF Public Safety News reported. “Ed was incredible. He was born and raised here in San Francisco. He was 'Mr. San Francisco,' the nicest person. He loved the city, he made a living taking photos of how beautiful San Francisco is and he did commercials. And to be up there on that Sunday morning, that this happened and that there have been no consequences so far – I could almost start crying here. We're going to get justice.”

Following this latest trial and verdict, District Attorney Brooke Jenkins issued a statement saying, “The jury's verdict holds Ms. Decuir and Mr. Mims responsible for the cold-blooded murder of an elder in our community who was doing what he loved to do on the morning of his murder in 2017.”

Jenkins added, “I want to thank the victim's friends and family for their trust in my office and the criminal justice system to ensure justice in this case. Although this family has had to wait far too long, I am relieved that the system was able to provide them with justice.”

Mims and Decuir will be sentenced in December.

Previously: The man killed at Twin Peaks Lookout on Sunday was a well-known location manager