Man convicted in 2023 San Francisco fatal stabbing gets 100 years to life sentence
By Carlos E. Castañeda
A man convicted of stabbing two people in San Francisco in 2023, killing one victim, was sentenced on Thursday to 100 years to life in state prison, the District Attorney’s Office announced Thursday.
Dennis Duree, 41, was convicted in December 2025 of first-degree murder for the attack on 45-year-old Brandon Mitchell on Dec. 28, 2023. A 38-year-old woman, a companion of Mitchell’s, survived after suffering life-threatening injuries in the attack.
The San Francisco Police Department said the attack happened in the early morning at abou 5 a.m. in the area of Mission and Washburn streets in the city’s South of Market area. According to prosecutors, Duree was acquainted with the victims who had set up a sidewalk encampment, and had accused both of stealing his drugs after he fallen asleep on their mattress.
Duree walked away from the encampment after the dispute, but later came back and stabbed the two victims, prosecutors said.
Duree, who has a lengthy criminal and mental health history, was identified as the suspect during the investigation and was arrested two weeks after the attack when patrol officers spotted him about a block away from where the stabbings happened, police said.
“Justice has been served for the victim who was killed and the victim who survived,” said District Attorney Brooke Jenkins in a prepared statement. “This sentence reflects the gravity of Mr. Duree’s crimes and holds him accountable. Although nothing can undo his crimes and the subsequent pain and anguish the family and friends of the victims have endured, I hope this sentence brings them some comfort as they work to heal from this trauma.”
Duree’s trial was delayed multiple times after he repeatedly refused to leave his jail cell, prosecutors said. In 2005, Duree was convicted of armed robbery, and was later was diagnosed as suffering from chronic paranoid schizophrenia, spending time at Napa State Hospital and Metropolitan State Hospital in Los Angeles County.
In 2021, Duree was arrested on battery and sexual battery charges, and according to a report from The Voice of San Francisco, the arrest records were later sealed after he agreed to a court-ordered mental health diversion program. The report said Duree missed mandatory court appearances because he was in custody in San Mateo County on separate drug-related charges, but he was deemed to have successfully completed the program just prior to the December 2023 fatal stabbing.
