A college teacher from Oakland who was found dead in a car in San Mateo County was gay, the Bay Area Reporter has learned from people who knew him. Friends recalled John Alfred Dennis Jr. as someone who worked hard to ensure students' success, and expressed devastation at his death.

Oakland Police Sergeant Roland Holmgren told the B.A.R. Wednesday that Troy Thomas, 43, was arrested in connection with the murder of Dennis and that police will present the case to the district attorney's office.

In an e-mail, Holmgren wrote that Oakland homicide investigators interviewed Thomas and that he confessed to killing Dennis, 59. An autopsy conducted by the San Mateo County Coroner's office revealed that Dennis died due to a gunshot wound, according to Holmgren.

The incident became known when San Mateo County Sheriff's Deputy Keith O'Dell was on routine patrol and came upon a car in the parking lot of Montara State Beach at about 11 p.m. Saturday, February 9.

The beach was closed at the time, and the car was alone in the lot, according to Lieutenant Marc Alcantara, press information officer for the San Mateo County Sheriff's Department. The beach is in an unincorporated section of the county.

As O'Dell approached the person in the driver's seat, he noticed an arm protruding from underneath a cover in the back seat, Alcantara said. O'Dell called for backup and additional sheriff's deputies responded, as well as emergency medical service personnel, among others. Dennis was pronounced dead at the scene. Alcantara said there was blood on Dennis's arm.

He said when it was determined that the driver – Thomas – was not the registered owner of the vehicle, Oakland police were asked to do a welfare check of Dennis's residence in the Sequoyah Hills neighborhood. Alcantara said police found the front door either unlocked or opened, and there was blood in the home. The interior of the home was in disarray, he said.

Holmgren confirmed that a "security check" was done at Thomas's home, stating that officers had "discovered evidence of a crime."

The San Francisco Chronicle reported that Dennis and Thomas had known each other since Thomas was a teen. Dennis had mentored him when he was in a program for disadvantaged youths, the newspaper reported.

Dennis taught courses at City College of San Francisco and St. Mary's College in Moraga.

Darlene Alioto, chair of City College of San Francisco's social sciences department, said Dennis was "a proud black gay man" and called his death "a real loss to us." Dennis had taught political science and African American history there since 1980, she said.

Michael Beseda, vice president of college communications and vice provost for enrollment at St. Mary's College, said Dennis was a man of "boundless energy." He said Dennis had worked at the college since 1979 and taught graduate liberal studies there, among other subjects. For several years he also directed High Potential, a program at the school designed to help disadvantaged students get into higher education.

He said the school hasn't been able to find any records of Thomas attending.

Beseda said Monday that he had just attended a prayer service for Dennis with about 400 people.

"I don't think I've seen as many tears shed over somebody at St. Mary's in the 30 years I've been here," Beseda said.

Father Jay Matthews at St. Benedict's Catholic Church in Oakland knew Dennis for more than 30 years. Matthews said people in the church community were "just devastated."

Dennis was "such a devoted and very dedicated teacher who loved his students very, very much ... He would go the extra mile to make sure students succeeded," Matthews said.

He said Dennis took part in a prison ministry and was studying for certification at the church's school for pastoral ministry so that he could do more ministry within the church. He said Dennis didn't have a partner and hadn't been dating anyone.

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