Emari Cook, 26, of Vallejo, California, was fatally shot on July 14, 2022, in Richmond just before 10 p.m. The shooting occurred near S. 49th Street and Cutting Boulevard after Cook, who had been walking from Little Caesars Pizza in El Cerrito, was followed by a vehicle. An altercation between Cook and the vehicle’s occupants ended when one person exited the car with an assault rifle and fired; Cook was pronounced dead at the scene by the Contra Costa County Coroner’s Office.

Surveillance footage supplied a description of the suspect vehicle. Richmond Police, with San Pablo detectives, used the Highway 4 license plate reader system to identify the vehicle and its registered owner, Bobby Dee Dozier. On October 19, 2022, Richmond SWAT executed a search warrant at a Martinez residence and arrested 37-year-old Dozier. Officers recovered two firearms, including a short-barreled AR-15 that the Contra Costa Crime Lab later confirmed was used in Cook’s killing; casings matching that AR-15 were also found at the scene. Dozier, who was on parole at the time and had a prior violent criminal history described in reports, was charged with one count of murder and multiple firearm violations.

Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact Homicide Detective Brian Hoffman or use the Richmond anonymous tip line.