A man with a long history of arrests is now accused of killing a woman during a home invasion in a quiet San Francisco neighborhood, a case that is renewing scrutiny of California’s mental-health diversion system.

Cassidy Wyatt Allen, 45, appeared in court Wednesday to face special-circumstance murder and first-degree burglary charges in the death of 38-year-old Jessica Alejandra Sanchez Landaverde. The San Francisco District Attorney’s Office announced the charges in a news release.

DA Brooke Jenkins, speaking to KTVU, said Allen could face life in prison without the possibility of parole if convicted.

“Our hearts break for this family,” Jenkins told the outlet. “It does not appear they had any connection to one another and so, yes again, this is one of the sadly, most scariest types of crimes that we can imagine, happening.”

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According to the DA’s office, police were dispatched just before 3 p.m. on Nov. 23 to a home on the 200 block of Granada Avenue after a tenant returned and heard someone inside rush to the front door and lock it. 

“Terrified and alarmed, she ran back to her vehicle and called 911,” the district attorney’s office said. 

When officers arrived, they saw that a window near the front door was slightly open and the blinds were bent, even though the front door appeared untouched. When they pushed it open, they discovered Sanchez Landaverde lying on her back near the foot of the bed. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

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Later that day, officers responding to a welfare check near 19th Avenue and Sloat Boulevard located a man matching the description of a person of interest in the killing. Police detained him and identified him as Allen. Investigators determined they had probable cause to arrest him.

Allen was booked into San Francisco County Jail on suspicion of murder and first-degree burglary. He is being held without bail, according to jail records.

His next court date is scheduled for Dec. 17.

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A review of court records shows this was not his first encounter with the criminal justice system. Court records reviewed by The California Post show he previously faced arrests for second-degree robbery, battery, assault with a deadly weapon, inflicting injury on an elder or dependent adult, and possession of burglary tools and drug paraphernalia.

Allen also had a run-in with police in Del Norte County in 2022. Capt. Kyle Stevens of the Del Norte County Sheriff’s Office told Fox News Digital that Allen was arrested on Jan. 28, 2022, by the Crescent City Police Department for violating Penal Code §415.3 for using offensive or provocative words in public that are likely to provoke an immediate violent reaction.

“He was basically challenging people to a fight,” Stevens said. 

Allen was booked into the Del Norte County Jail and released the same day on a promise to appear. Stevens said Allen never returned for a court appearance and no warrant was issued, which typically indicates prosecutors declined to pursue the case.

Stevens emphasized that Allen was not a resident of Del Norte County and had no other law enforcement contacts there. He appeared to be a transient individual passing through the region, likely continuing south toward the Bay Area after his release.

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At least one earlier case resulted in Allen being placed in California’s mental health diversion program, a system that steers eligible defendants into treatment instead of incarceration. If participants comply with treatment and avoid new arrests, charges may be paused or dismissed.

Under Penal Code §1001.36, judges must determine whether a defendant’s mental health disorder significantly contributed to the offense and whether they pose an “unreasonable risk” to public safety before granting diversion.

Critics argue the program has expanded too far, sometimes encompassing defendants with violent histories.

Sacramento County Sheriff Jim Cooper is among those warning that the diversion statute has become a loophole misused by chronic offenders.

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“There’s room for diversion somewhere, especially someone that has an addiction problem,” Cooper previously told Fox News Digital. “But what’s happened is they open the gates wide. So right now everyone’s taking advantage of it. A lot of criminals are. They’re really abusing the system, and that’s the unfortunate part about it.”

While Allen’s current charges, special-circumstance murder and first-degree burglary, are explicitly barred from diversion eligibility under state law, his earlier placement into the program despite repeated arrests is likely to intensify debate over how judges assess risk.

Neighbors told KTVU they were stunned that such a violent attack occurred in their typically quiet and safe neighborhood.

“I am saddened by it because I think our city is generally going in the right direction. We’ve turned the corner,” neighbor Rose Galloway said. “Incidents like this are going to happen in a big city every once in a while. I’m sad to hear about it happening so close to us.”

Neighbors told the outlet they often see a foot patrol officer along Ocean Boulevard and say the area generally feels safe.

“I have seen this neighborhood change for the better over the years. It’s incredible,” said Garrett Naro. “Crime is not something we think about. It’s very safe.”

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The case is now being handled by the San Francisco District Attorney’s Homicide Unit. Investigators say they are still gathering evidence and urge anyone with information to contact the San Francisco Police Department tip line at 1-415-575-4444.

Fox News Digital reached out to the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office for comment. 

Stepheny Price covers crime, including missing persons, homicides and migrant crime. Send story tips to stepheny.price@fox.com.

SAN FRANCISCO – Pro volleyball will soon be coming to San Francisco and this latest team is part of a surge of women’s sports.

League One Volleyball officially launched this year with six teams. Now the league has announced it’s expanding to nine teams, and that one of those expansion teams will be based in the city by the bay.

Three-time Olympic volleyball medalist Kelsy Robinson Cook is on the ownership team for LOVB San Francisco, bringing professional volleyball to the city. “Can tell you it’s going to be amazing,” said Robinson Cook. “Then, when you bring in the fandom of the Bay Area and SF I think personally it’s going to make for an incredible atmosphere.”

Team ownership said starting a team in the Bay Area is a natural with colleges and universities in the region turning out top talent. “It’s the number one sport for women and girls and I think that just speaks volumes as to where we’re headed, not only in club and college, but professionally,” said Robinson Cook.

Pro women’s volleyball is part of a growing list of professional women’s sports teams calling San Francisco and the Bay Area home.

The women’s professional baseball league announced plans for a team in San Francisco. Bay FC and the Golden State Valkyries are already proving there is a market for professional women’s sports.

When pro-volleyball was looking to expand, San Francisco was a natural choice. “You’re seeing Bay FC, the Valkyries, the success that they have, and this market loves sports, and they’ve also proven they love women’s sports,” said Robinson Cook.

San Francisco leaders said the city has already proven that it supports pro-women’s teams, and will welcome professional volleyball. Mayor Daniel Lurie pointed to the city’s rich sports history and enthusiasm to support the home teams. “Now, as we saw with the Valkyries selling out every single home game last year, there is an appetite, there is a fan base, and this new league understands that,” said Mayor Lurie.

At this time, there are still a lot of questions up in the air, including exactly where LOVB San Francisco will play. Organizers say they have a lot of plans in the works to get the team ready to bump, set and spike starting in January 2027.

For his latest trick, Nikola Jokic dribbled into oncoming traffic and escaped unscathed.

Sometimes after he reels in a defensive rebound, the Nuggets center prefers to launch an aerial attack with one of his long outlet passes. This time, he brought the ball with him up on his usual route up the middle of the floor. Magic center Wendell Carter Jr. trailed him by a step. Up ahead, Tyus Jones veered into his lane from the left, sensing an opportunity to pick the pocket of a lumbering big man.

But Jokic is nimble. Before Jones could cut across his front side, he anticipated the attempted swipe and transferred his dribbling hand with a behind-the-back move that shouldn’t have looked so graceful. Jones whiffed. Carter caught up, but Jokic decelerated to allow him to pass. Then the newly minted best passing center of all time went behind the back again — this time, a dime to Jamal Murray, who finished the play with a lefty floater.

Denver’s stars were just showing off at that point in the third quarter of a 126-115 win over the Magic that wasn’t always so smooth-sailing.

It was a monumental night. At 30 years old and 302 days, Jokic passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on Thursday for the most assists by a center in NBA history. Coming into the game, all he needed was six to match Abdul-Jabbar’s career total of 5,660. He finished the evening with 13, highlighting a 23-point, 11-rebound triple-double.

“For those of us that love the history of the game, that one should be wrote about and talked about, and that should be a national story,” Nuggets coach David Adelman said. “Because that’s passing a guy that you could argue — if you just want to go by generations and not, ‘Who’s the best player of all time?’ and all the talk-talk stuff — Kareem is in the conversation. Look at his MVPs. Look at the winning. And our guy tonight from Denver just passed him in a category.”

“This is a time that I can be able to look back and appreciate all the years I’ve had to play this game with him,” Murray said. “It’s special. Passing Kareem in anything is pretty cool. So I think it just speaks to his greatness and how unselfish he is.”

Jokic has also passed other Hall of Famers including Michael Jordan and Allen Iverson on the all-time list this season, now ranking 50th overall in career assists. Next up for him to catch is another legendary passer, Larry Bird. Jokic is 28 away from tying him.

“I always say the assist makes two people happy (instead of one). My coach ‘Deki,’ he always said that,” Jokic said Thursday, paying homage to the late Golden State Warriors and Mega Basket coach Dejan Milojevic.

“Maybe it’s not a splashy pass or whatever,” the three-time MVP continued, “but I think when you make the right play, you’re going to feel good about yourself.”

Adelman was especially adamant about the historical significance of the occasion. He gave Jokic the game ball in Denver’s locker room after the win.

“It’s such a cool thing, because it’s Kareem, who was passed by LeBron (James) as the all-time leading scorer, which puts in perspective who Nikola passed,” Adelman said. “So it’s a celebration of both people. It’s somebody that completely changed the game. The sky hook. The longevity. … I feel like in the modern era, we talk about Tom Brady and all these people. But go look at Kareem. The guy changed his name while he played. The guy plays 20-plus years and, until the very end, was impactful on teams that went to the Finals. So for Nikola to pass him, I think, says a lot. And if we’re going to celebrate what LeBron did, (we should celebrate this also). And I know it’s a different kind of thing because it’s a center, it’s a position. I’ll just keep saying it. Just don’t get tired of this, because it’s unique.”

Jokic is also closing in on Oscar Robertson for second all-time in triple-doubles. Thursday was his 177th, bringing him within four of the iconic guard. He became the first center in league history to average a triple-double last season, and he’s on pace to do so again this year with 29.8 points, 12.4 rebounds and 10.8 assists per game.

Orlando called a timeout after Jokic and Murray combined for that saucy transition bucket in the third quarter. As they sauntered to the huddle, Nuggets assistant coaches Ognjen Stojakovic and JJ Barea could only laugh at the duo’s skill and panache.

“That’s how kind of we made our staple in that second unit growing up, was just the give-and-go,” Murray said of Jokic’s passing. “… A lot of give-and-go, and you could see his court vision and his fluidity.”

The Nuggets did most of their work Thursday during an astonishing second quarter. They flipped a 47-33 deficit with a 35-7 run that only took the last 6:26 of the first half. Murray scored 20 of his 32 points in the frame. Reserve point guard Jalen Pickett ignited the comeback and was a plus-26 in eight minutes of playing time that quarter.

Both teams were short-handed at Ball Arena. Orlando was fending without Franz Wagner and Jalen Suggs. Denver was down three of its best defenders with Peyton Watson (right trunk contusion) ruled out shortly before tip, joining Christian Braun and Aaron Gordon on the shelf.

In Watson’s place, Bruce Brown started his first game as a Denver Nugget since April 9, 2023. David Adelman used 10 of his 11 available players, including Julian Strawther, who was cleared to play earlier this week after missing a month with a back injury.