Crime & Safety

Suspect in Random, Fatal Stabbing Appears in Court

Charles Edwards, 43, is accused of killing the owner of Camouflage in an unprovoked attack Monday.

Police released the photo of homicide suspect Charles Anthony Edwards III the same day the 43-year-old San Francisco transient made his first court appearance.

Edwards is accused of first-degree murder and several special allegations for allegedly , a 38-year-old Santa Cruz woman and downtown business owner, on lower Broadway just before noon Monday.

Collins and her husband were co-owners of , a downtown sex shop.

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During the brief court date, Assistant District Attorney Celia Rowland asked for $2 million bail, in part based on a previous violent incident in custody. 

Edwards responded angrily, "In this custody I had a violent incident?"

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Rowland said it was an incident that occurred while jailed in San Francisco. Regardless, Judge John Salazar set Edwards' bail at the standard $1 million bond.

Police have said . A copy of the criminal complaint filed by the District Attorney's Office against Edwards is posted to the right. It details his extensive violent criminal history, dating back to a 1992 assault conviction in San Francisco.

Edwards was appointed a public defender Wednesday. He appeared in court dressed in orange-striped jail-issue clothes.

This story will be updated.


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