Alameda County Agrees to $36M Settlement For Son and Family of Dublin Couple Killed By Deputy

"Alameda County supervisors approved a $36 million settlement for surviving family members, but primarily for the Trans' teenage son, Brandon Tran, who witnessed the killings and who is now 18 years old. When the crime occurred, Brandon Tran was 14 years old and his mother, Maria Tran, reportedly died in his arms. Maria Tran's mother and brother were also staying in the house at the time of the killings."

"The settlement stems from the shocking, execution-style murders of 57-year-old Benison Tran and 42-year-old Maria Tran inside their Dublin home in September 2022. The perpetrator, then-24-year-old Devin Williams Jr., was an Alameda County sheriff's deputy, and this week's settlement by the county acknowledges liability by the county for not preventing the Trans' deaths."

""Our hearts go out to the entire family for the tragic loss of Maria and Benison Tran on September 7, 2022," Alameda County said in a statement, per KTVU. "This settlement ends the legal chapter, and we hope it will bring a moment of peace to the family and the community. The County fully supports the Sheriff's efforts to improve oversight and take corrective action in the hiring of sworn personnel.""

""I think people should not look at the money, but look at the tragedy, and then they'll have a better understanding of really how this doesn't compensate people for what they've been through." Williams was convicted in October 2024 and sentenced to 50 years to life for the double murder. At the sentencing hearing, Brandon Tran read a wrenching statement, telling Williams he is "the person who took everythin"

Alameda County approved a $36 million settlement, the largest ever related to the Sheriff’s Department, for the family of Benison Tran and Maria Tran, who were killed inside their Dublin home in September 2022. The killings were carried out by Devin Williams Jr., then a 24-year-old Alameda County sheriff’s deputy, in an execution-style attack tied to a love triangle. The settlement acknowledges county liability for failing to prevent the deaths. The payment primarily benefits Brandon Tran, the couple’s teenage son who witnessed the killings and was 14 at the time. Maria Tran died in his arms, while other relatives were also in the home. Williams was convicted in October 2024 and sentenced to 50 years to life.

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