SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) -- This year brought stories from all corners of the Bay Area out of the woodwork. Here's a look at some of the biggest stories featured on KRON4.com throughout 2022.
Alexis Gabe
The death of Alexis Gabe and her family's desperate search for her remains stayed in headlines across the country this year. After Gabe's suspected killer was shot by police during an attempted arrest, her family was left to find her remains without his help. Gabe's remains were located in Plymouth last month. Her family remains hopeful that the discovery of her remains will lead to charges filed against the mother of her suspected killer, Alicia Coleman-Clark.
Kidnapping of Baby Brandon
Brandon Cuellar, affectionately known as Baby Brandon, was kidnapped from his family's home in San Jose in April. After a desperate, 20-hour search, Baby Brandon was found inside of one of his kidnapper's homes. Investigators later learned that the pair had attempted to kidnap the baby four different times. Two people were later charged with the kidnapping, and one may face a little as five years in prison once sentenced.
Exorcism killing of 3-year-old girl, Arely
In June, the death of a three-year old girl named Arely occurred under a very strange set of circumstances. Arely's mother believed the child was possessed, and she told police she brought her to Iglesia Apostoles y Profetas, a small Pentecostal church, for an exorcism. Police ruled her death a homicide by suffocation and smothering. Three people, including the Arely's mother, uncle and grandfather, were charged and arrested for the crime.
Warriors ups and downs
The Golden State Warriors brought home their fourth NBA Championship trophy in eight years in June, and The City simply went berserk. Seas of fans flooded San Francisco streets as the Warriors greeted onlookers in the championship parade. The Warriors also ended up with some negative headlines after veteran player Draymond Green punched fellow player Jordan Poole during a practice, and it was all caught on camera.
Earthquakes
The 5.1 magnitude earthquake that struck the South Bay in late October was the largest quake the area had seen in eight years. That was before the 6.4 magnitude shaker hit Humboldt County in December, killing two and injuring many others. The Humboldt quake was also followed by almost 80 aftershocks in total.
Anti-Asian attacks
The nation has faced seen a myriad of attacks against the Asian American community over the year, and we're no exception here in the Bay Area. A recent hate-crime incident at San Ramon In-N-Out drew national attention after it was caught on video. An Uber driver named Kon Fung was shot while sitting in his car in Little Saigon and a woman who was violently kicked on a bus in SF sent police on a search for her attacker. The Asian American and Pacific Islander Community has spoken out against the violence, and called on local leaders to do more to protect vulnerable citizens.
Contract killing of Lili Xu
The murder of East Bay dentist Lili Xu sent a shockwave throughout the Bay Area, and left many wondering if anti-Asian violence was gaining momentum. Investigators later discovered that Xu's boyfriend, Nelson Chia, 73, had hired a hit man (Hasheem Bason) and arranged for her murder in order to inherit her estate. After his arrest, Chia hung himself in Santa Rita Jail.
Atria deaths
The death of Gertrude Maxwell after she was served a detergent in place of juice stunned her family, who first shared her story with KRON4. Two others were poisoned in the incident at Atria San Mateo. Less than two weeks later, an elderly man died after ingesting a cleaning solution at Atria Walnut Creek. The victim's family says the facility originally blamed his father's injuries on eating Hot Cheetos.
San Carlos beheading
The beheading of a young woman in a suburban neighborhood of San Carlos terrified neighbors, and left two young children without a mother. Karina Castro died after her ex-boyfriend agreed to meet with her and then allegedly used a sword to kill her. In an emotional interview, the victim's father was asked what justice would look like for his daughter. His answer? “I don’t feel he should continue breathing. I think the death penalty would be perfect for him,” her father said.
DePape hammer attack
In October, Paul Pelosi was awakened by a stranger in his home. Police say David DePape told Pelosi he was looking for his wife, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. He is accused of bludgeoning Pelosi over the head with a hammer. DePape was most recently in court on Wednesday, where he pleaded not guilty. San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins says DePape will be "prosecuted to the fullest."
Pelosi drunk driving
Pelosi's first stint in the news in 2022 was not a good lead up to his attack in October. In late May, Pelosi was arrested on suspicion of drunk driving when he was involved in a fender bender. He was booked into jail that night and bailed out just hours later, according to booking records. Pelosi pleaded guilty to DUI causing injury, agreeing to pay more than $6,000 in fines and attend a DUI class for three months.
Heat wave
The heat wave that hit the Bay Area in September was no joke, and many cities even experienced record-high temperatures. As many homes and public buildings across San Francisco don't have air conditioning, temperatures hitting the triple digits can get a little dicey. One local school teacher spoke with KRON4 about how she kept her students healthy and safe throughout the heat wave.
Atherton buried car
A car discovered buried in the backyard of a $15 million Atherton mansion in October had reportedly been on the estate since the 1990s, police said. The car, a Mercedes-Benz, had been reported stolen by the Palo Alto Police Department in 1992. The car was ultimately removed from the home, and police are still investigating.
Recalls
San Francisco saw four recalls since February of this year, and they made for heated and active political discourse in our area. Former San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin's name dominated headlines as some viewed his approach as too progressive. He was ultimately ousted in the recall, and Mayor London Breed appointed Brooke Jenkins to the position. Jenkins ultimately won the role in her own right after November's election. Three school board members were also recalled after a series of controversies as well.
Changing tech landscape
San Francisco tech companies have faced a myriad of challenges since the start of the pandemic, and thousands of employees have been laid of since the start of 2022. Just last month, Google announced that it would be laying off about 10,000 people from it's workforce. Fellow tech giants Meta and Salesforce also went through with layoffs, but the most visible layoffs without question were at Twitter. After Elon Musk took over as CEO of the social media company in late October, he has slashed thousands of jobs.
Los Gatos party mom
Shannon O'Connor was back in court this year after being accused of throwing alcohol-fueled sex parties for Los Gatos High School students. The District Attorney's Office says O'Connor secretly arranged the gatherings inside of a multi-million dollar mansion in Los Gatos.
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