Berkeley double stabbing suspect arrested in Oakland

Byron DeCles, 21, was arrested Tuesday shortly before 4 a.m. on a warrant related to the Berkeley case, jail records show.

Berkeley double stabbing suspect arrested in Oakland
Byron DeCles was wanted in connection with a double stabbing in Berkeley on Friday. Berkeley Police

A man who had been wanted by police since Friday in connection with a stabbing in Berkeley that sent two people to the hospital is now in custody, according to booking records.

Byron DeCles, 21, was arrested shortly before 4 a.m. Tuesday in Oakland on a warrant from the Berkeley case, jail records show.

Both people who were stabbed, a man in his 50s and a woman in her 80s, have been released from the hospital and are now recovering at home, according to police and community reports.

BPD got a call at about 6:30 p.m. Friday about a possible burglary at a home on El Camino Real near The Uplands in Berkeley's Claremont neighborhood.

When they arrived, they found two people who had been stabbed.

The victims were taken to Highland Hospital and DeCles was quickly identified as the primary suspect in the case.

In the hours that followed, BPD put out an advisory when they were unable to find DeCles in the neighborhood.

On Tuesday, DeCles was arrested by OPD on suspicion of attempted murder, battery with serious bodily injury, elder abuse and burglary, according to booking records.

Berkeley police search for suspect in Claremont stabbing
BPD lifted the shelter-in-place advisory just before 9:40 p.m., according to a Nixle alert. Police are still looking for suspect Byron DeCles.

DeCles, who is unhoused, has no prior criminal cases in Alameda County, according to court records online.

According to preliminary information, he is related to the victims and has a history of mental health issues.

DeCles is now scheduled for arraignment Thursday at Wiley Manuel Courthouse in Oakland. He is being held without bail.

The Scanner has asked the Berkeley Police Department for comment and will update this story when additional information is available.

Update: In a Nixle alert Tuesday afternoon, BPD said DeCles was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder in relation to both victims.

"We want to thank the Oakland Police Department for locating Decles this morning and taking him into custody without incident," BPD wrote. "Thank you to all the citizens who provided information to our department and helped achieve a successful outcome on this case."

Berkeley writer Diana Paxson on the mend after stabbing
Paxson told The Scanner that what happened Friday had been the culmination of “a series of difficulties” with Byron DeCles over the past year.

Update: Byron DeCles was charged Dec. 13 with two counts of attempted murder and misdemeanor elder abuse in connection with the Dec. 8 stabbing, court records show.

He was also charged with misdemeanor battery in connection with an incident July 30 and assault with force likely to produce great bodily injury in connection with an incident Oct. 29, according to court records.

On Dec. 14, he entered not-guilt pleas in connection with the case.

He is set to return to court Jan. 17 for a procedural hearing.

💡
BECOME A SCANNER MEMBER: Sign up now to support independent public safety news for Berkeley and Alameda County.