In relation to the killings of two Fremont women almost forty years ago, a convicted murderer who is also accused of being involved in Michaela Garecht’s 1988 disappearance was sentenced Tuesday, according to officials.
David Emery Misch was given two consecutive sentences ranging from 25 years to life in prison for the killings of Michelle Xavier and Jennifer Duey, according to the Fremont Police Department. On December 19, 2024, Misch was found guilty of the killings by a jury.
Numerous Fremont police officers and detectives have devoted countless hours to this case over the past 39 years. With Misch’s conviction, this case has been successfully concluded in cooperation with the Alameda County DA’s office,” police said in a statement on Wednesday.
Officers said that just after midnight on February 2, 1986, Xavier and Duey were discovered shot and stabbed in the hills above Mission Boulevard along the side of Mill Creek Road. When they were killed, Duey was 20 and Xavier was 18.
The best friends were last spotted together at a convenience shop close to Farwell Drive and Mowry Avenue at approximately 10:15 p.m., police said, after attending a birthday meal for a family member earlier in the evening.
The case remained unsolved despite thousands of leads and countless tips after their murders. When the case was revisited by the police in 2016, Misch was found to be the primary suspect thanks to DNA testing.
In 2018, Misch was charged with the killings of Xavier and Duey. Misch was already serving 18 years to life for the 1989 murder of Margaret Ball in unincorporated Hayward.
The Alameda County District Attorney’s Office said that Misch was taken out of the courtroom during Tuesday’s sentencing hearing after singing and interfering with the reading of the victims’ impact statements.
Chief Assistant District Attorney Royl Roberts stated on Wednesday that David Misch’s actions in court were “not only reprehensible but a blatant display of no remorse for taking the lives of Jennifer Duey and Michelle Xavier.” “The families of these two young women have been waiting nearly 40 years to receive justice for their tragic and senseless murders.”
Misch is still being held at Dublin’s Santa Rita Jail pending trial for the abduction and killing of Michaela Garecht, who disappeared from a Hayward street corner over 36 years ago when she was nine years old.
On the morning of November 19, 1988, Garecht and a friend rode their scooters to the Rainbow Market in her neighborhood to buy some sweets and sodas, which is one of the most well-known missing children cases in the Bay Area. According to investigators, Garecht saw her friend’s scooter had been moved in the parking lot after they left the store.
An unidentified Caucasian man, who looked to be between the ages of 18 and 24, grabbed her as she went to get it, pushed her into his older American-made automobile, and drove off.
A friend of Garecht went inside the market and called for assistance. Both Garecht and her kidnapper had disappeared by the time the store clerk hurried out of the establishment.
In the decades since, a number of infamous serial killers have been looked at as potential suspects, including the Speed Freak serial killers Wesley Shermantine and Loren Herzog, as well as Curtis Dean Anderson, who was found guilty of the kidnapping death of Xiana Fairchild.
Investigators in the Fremont killings and a partial palm print in the Garecht case provided a break in the case. In 2020, Misch was accused with kidnapping and killing Garecht.
Eliot Pierce is a dedicated writer for ChiefsFocus.com, covering local crime and finance news. With a keen eye for detail and a passion for storytelling, Eliot aims to provide his readers with clear and insightful analysis, helping them navigate the complexities of their financial lives while staying informed about important local events. His commitment to delivering accurate and engaging content makes him a valuable resource for the community.