Bizarre murder case: An Oakland man was shot dead while allegedly throwing concrete at cars parked outside a home full of squatters and stray dogs

OAKLAND – A 47-year-old man was shot and killed when he used a sledgehammer to break up chunks of concrete and hurl them at cars and properties. Now the suspect is behind bars and charged with murder.

Donald Dorn, 59, was charged last month with murder and possession of a firearm for allegedly killing 47-year-old Robert Greer. The March 28 murder occurred in the 100 block of Louvaine Avenue in Oakland, outside an abandoned house that police said was home to squatters and stray dogs.

The strange sequence of events began around 4 p.m. on March 28 when Greer was seen using a sledgehammer to break chunks of concrete in front of the abandoned home and then hurling them onto the property and nearby parked cars, police said. At some point while Greer was doing this, Dorn allegedly left the abandoned apartment building, got on a green bicycle, rode away a short distance, returned with a revolver and shot Greer in the head.

According to police, much of what happened was captured on surveillance cameras near another residence, including Dorn riding up on a bicycle before the shooting and riding away immediately afterward.

When officers arrived in the area, they quickly noticed the abandoned house was full of squatters and 14 stray dogs and called for backup. Police then cleared the house and turned the dogs over to animal control. Residents told investigators it was common to see squatters and dogs coming and going from the home throughout the day, authorities said.

Witnesses also reportedly identified Dorn as the shooter. He was arrested April 15 in the 400 block of Capistrano Drive in Oakland, police said. Court records show Dorn has pleaded not guilty, is being held without bail at Santa Rita Jail in Dublin and is due in court for a preliminary hearing on May 28.

Dorn’s occupation is listed on the prison intake form as “roofer.” The felony gun charge was brought because he was convicted in 2021 of assault with a deadly weapon, which bars him from legally owning guns, according to court records.