Mentally Ill Man Accused in BART Death Had Long Criminal History
The mentally ill homeless man accused of killing a 74-year-old woman at the Powell Street BART Station in July remains hospitalized and has yet to enter a plea. The San Francisco Chronicle has now revealed details of his extensive criminal record, shedding light on the system’s failure to intervene sooner.
The suspect, 49-year-old Trevor Belmont, also known as Hoak Taing, could potentially become a focal point in discussions about conservatorship reform. While his prior encounters with the criminal justice system around the Bay Area didn’t directly point to homicide, they paint the picture of a man who had long been failed by the system and was in desperate need of mental health treatment.
Belmont stands accused of fatally shoving 74-year-old Corazon Dandan, an employee of the Westin St. Francis Hotel, in front of an oncoming BART train on July 1. According to prosecutors, the attack was witnessed by several bystanders and caught on surveillance footage. Belmont allegedly approached Dandan from behind and, just as the train neared, shoved her with both hands, sending her into its path. Dandan was struck and thrown back onto the platform. She was later pronounced dead at the hospital.
Belmont’s criminal record reveals multiple contacts with BART police and other law enforcement agencies throughout the Bay Area. In 2018, he was ordered by a judge to stay away from all BART stations for three years following a lewd conduct charge — an order he quickly violated. That same year, he was arrested for swinging his fists at patrons on the platform of the Dublin/Pleasanton BART Station but was later cited and released.
His first known encounter with the San Francisco Police Department dates back to 2007. Over the years, Belmont’s violent behavior led to numerous stay-away orders, including a 2013 conviction for assault and battery on a member of the San Francisco State University community. He was subsequently banned from that campus. In 2014, a judge issued another stay-away order barring him from St. Monica’s Catholic School for reasons unspecified in court records.
Overall, Belmont has 27 arrests over a span of 17 years, highlighting the chronic nature of his encounters with the law.
Belmont’s interactions with BART police are likely to be presented as evidence in a lawsuit filed by Dandan’s family against the agency. The wrongful death suit alleges that BART failed in its duty to protect passengers from harm due to negligent security practices.
After spending the past four months in the hospital, Belmont made his first court appearance today. He was ordered to undergo a psychiatric evaluation in early July and has not yet entered a plea in the case.
