Sedric Dennis, 42, was killed on February 11, 2008, and found in a vehicle parked at a San Mateo County beach. The man arrested at the scene, Troy Tyrone Thomas III, was taken into custody after a sheriff’s deputy spotted an arm protruding from under a cover in the car. Thomas, who has a history of felonies including a prior murder conviction, confessed to the killing. Investigators believe financial motives and elements of extortion may have played a role, though the precise catalyst for the attack remains unclear; Thomas’s account indicated Dennis had not provoked him.

Dennis was a well-known community figure and educator. He was active at St. Benedict’s Church in Oakland, where his funeral was held, and taught at St. Mary’s College in Moraga and City College of San Francisco. He held a doctorate in African history from Stanford and was remembered by students as a dedicated, caring, and demanding teacher.

If anyone knew Sedric Dennis or has information about his last movements, please come forward.