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Vehicle Associated With Oakland Murder-Drowning Found In Lake Merritt

OAKLAND (CBS SF) -- A vehicle associated with a bizarre murder-drowning two weeks ago was pulled from the murky waters of Lake Merritt on Monday, authorities said.

oakland murder drowning vehicle oakland police
A vehicle connected to a murder-suicide is pulled out of Lake Merritt, March 26, 2018. (Oakland Police Dept.)

Investigators were not saying how the vehicle got into the lake. The case remains under investigation and anyone with information is encouraged to call the Oakland police homicide division at (510) 238-3821.

Oakland police responded to call of two people struggling in the lake near Lakeshore Boulevard and Hanover Avenue around 4:15 a.m. on March 15th.

Four police officers arrived and dove into the lake to rescue the victims. A man, later identified as 39-year-old Michael Grace, was found near death from drowning and taken to a hospital where he died.

Police said that around 7:30 a.m. the female victim, identified as 24-year-old Tayana Johnson, was also found and pronounced dead.

Investigators say Grace and Johnson were dating and had gotten into some kind of physical altercation. They're investigating Johnson's death as a homicide, but say that Grace's death appears to be accidental.

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