Suspect arrested in killing of Oakland man who died at liquor store entrance

OAKLAND — A suspect has been arrested in connection with an Aug. 22 homicide where the victim attempted to seek refuge in a local liquor store, but instead fell dead in the doorway, court records show.

Demond Finley, 49, was charged with murdering 43-year-old Larry Collins, and with being a felon in possession of a firearm. He is being held at Santa Rita Jail in Dublin without bail, and is due to be arraigned in court on Wednesday, records show.

Collins was shot and killed at around 11 p.m. on Aug. 22, outside of Harry’s Liquor on the 9000 block of MacArthur Boulevard in Oakland. The shooting, captured on surveillance camera, showed Collins’ killer hanging out in a small group near the store beforehand. They seemed to take an interest in Collins when he rode up in a bicycle, police said.

The shooter — identified through witnesses and the video surveillance footage as Finley — allegedly put on gloves and changed his clothes before confronting Collins, who attempted to flee as Finley allegedly opened fire. Collins was struck with at least one bullet and fell in the entrance of the liquor store, authorities said.

At least two people who knew Finley identified him from the surveillance footage. Police say a car he had access to was present at the scene as well. Finley was arrested Thursday in Oakland and charged the following day.

The charging records say Finley has prior convictions that include burglary, gun possession and domestic violence. The most recent one occurred more than a decade ago, in 2011, the records say.

Police arrested one of the other men believed to have been in the small group with Finley before the shooting, but he denied being present and was later released without charges, records show.