A California jury has delivered a guilty verdict for 30-year-old Victor Frieson, who will now likely spend the rest of his life behind bars for the murder and torture of his girlfriend, Zoe Nika Reidy Watts. The conviction, which followed a two-week trial, marks the end of a legal process that exposed the details of a relationship defined by cycles of violence. Per the New York Post, prosecutors established that the fatal attack occurred after the pair returned to Frieson’s Oakland apartment following a dinner date at Johnny Foley’s Irish House in San Francisco on March 1, 2024. The couple had documented their evening on Instagram. These videos proved crucial for investigators, as they showed Reidy Watts without any visible injuries or bruising before the couple returned home. Their journey home and the subsequent attack were tracked and presented to the court through surveillance videos. Following the attack, Frieson reportedly went to a neighbor’s apartment to ask for help. He led the neighbor to Reidy Watts’ body while implying he did not know how she had died. Prosecutors also argued that Frieson had cleaned the apartment before seeking assistance, which they characterized as a clear attempt to conceal his actions. Reidy Watts seemed to be struggling even before the attack After their dinner, the pair had taken the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) back to Frieson’s residence at 185 15th St. in Oakland, arriving at approximately 10:45 PM. Per the NY Post and court filings, surveillance footage reviewed by the court showed that Reidy Watts appeared to be struggling with her balance. At one point, she reportedly fell sideways into the street as they approached the building. According to NBC Bay Area, the evidence presented during the trial showed that Frieson beat Reidy Watts to death inside the apartment. During the assault, she attempted to flee the apartment. This was captured on surveillance video, which showed her staggering outside, naked and severely injured, before collapsing just beyond the doorway. The footage then captured that Frieson dragged her back inside the unit by her arm and shut the door. Convicted sex offender Victor Tyrone Frieson III, 27, arrested by @oaklandpoliceca, charged by @AlamedaCountyDA w/murder & domestic violence in slaying of his girlfriend Zoe Reidy Watts, 25, at an apartment near 15th & Jackson. She died of blunt-force trauma pic.twitter.com/L6rbu4uLfe— Henry K. Lee (@henrykleeKTVU) March 8, 2024 KTVU reported that during the trial, Frieson testified in his own defense. While his legal team conceded that he had committed domestic violence against Reidy Watts, they argued that he was not guilty of the charges of murder or torture. However, the jury reached a different conclusion, finding him guilty of second-degree murder, torture, and corporal injury to a romantic partner with great bodily injury. Per NBC, the investigation conducted by the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office revealed that even though the couple was “on-again, off-again,” there were two reported domestic violence incidents during their relationship. One in San Francisco and one in Oakland. Just six weeks before her death, Reidy Watts had filed a domestic violence report with Oakland police, and officers documented that she had two black eyes and deep bruises on her legs. The NY Post wrote that Deputy District Attorney Nick Homer noted that friends and family of the victim began observing injuries on her shortly after they started dating. Victor Frieson III testified in his own defense, admitting to assaulting his estranged girlfriend during an argument but denying he was responsible for her death. https://t.co/9nEXNvYiWM— Mercury News (@mercnews) June 30, 2026 Beyond the legal proceedings, the outlets noted that the loss of Reidy Watts has left a deep void in the Bay Area arts community. A 25-year-old student at San Francisco State University, she was a rising talent known for her work as a ceramicist, poet, and clothing designer. A memorial post from the Clayroom SF ceramics studio described her as someone who “enriched our studio with curiosity, tenderness, and rich enthusiasm for her art and the people around her.” Alameda County District Attorney Ursula Jones Dickson spoke on the impact of the tragedy following the verdict. According to True Crime News, she said in a statement, “Today’s verdict delivers justice for Zoe, whose life was taken in an act of extraordinary violence.” Victor Tyrone Frieson III was found guilty of second degree murder in connection with the death of his girlfriend, Zoe Nika Reidy Watts, an artist and musician. https://t.co/IEjBucGhLP— San Francisco Chronicle (@sfchronicle) June 30, 2026 “She was a talented artist, a dedicated student, and a young woman whose future was filled with promise. While no verdict can restore what her family, friends, and the Bay Area artistic community have lost, we hope today’s decision provides a measure of accountability and peace,” Jones Dickson added. Frieson, who was also identified as a registered sex offender, was arrested on March 6, 2024, and has been held without bail at Santa Rita Jail. His formal sentencing is scheduled for September 17 in Department 10 of the Alameda County Superior Court at the Rene C. Davidson Courthouse. This year has revealed the details of two high-profile instances of domestic violence. Last month, a How I Met Your Mother actor was sentenced to life for the attempted murder of his girlfriend. Before that, in April, the actress Charlize Theron spoke bout how her mother ‘saved’ her when her father decided death was the punishment for not saying hello.