Inmate charged in slaying, torture last year of Castro Valley woman

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CASTRO VALLEY (KTVU) -- Authorities have charged a San Joaquin County inmate in the murder, torture and arson of a woman last year in her Castro Valley home, officials said late Friday

Luckie Dacany, 36, is accused of stabbing Andrea St. John, 59, in her home in the 1800 block of Grove Way near the Alameda city line 12 days before Christmas, authorities said.

The fire was reported on Dec. 13, 2016 around 3 a.m. and when firefighters arrived, they could not find the woman inside the residence.

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Her body was later found in the garage and investigators have said her body suffered extensive burns during the incident.

Authorities have said the fire was set to destroy clues in the slaying of the woman, who was a widow and lived alone.

Investigators said Friday that Dacany was being held in the San Joaquin County jail on unrelated charges of lewd conduct with a child, vehicle theft and possession of stolen property.

It was not immediately clear how police connected Dacany to the case.