SAN FRANCISCO, CA – Police have arrested a 68-year-old retired dentist in connection with the fatal shooting of a city laborer outside his rented home in the Outer Sunset neighborhood.
The Arrest and Incident
Philippe Henri Chagniot, 68, was booked into the San Francisco County jail on suspicion of murder. The arrest stems from the May 17 slaying of Eric Bigone, 58, who was found shot outside his residence on 46th Avenue.
Officers responded to the scene at approximately 5:20 a.m. and found Bigone suffering from gunshot wounds. Despite emergency life-saving efforts, Bigone succumbed to his injuries at the scene. Authorities executed a search warrant at Chagniot’s residence and took him into custody without incident.
Chilling Surveillance Details
According to police notices, the suspect was captured on security footage arriving at the scene on a bicycle. The perpetrator was seen wearing a beanie and a mask while walking on the sidewalk, carrying a clear plastic bag and a long gun just moments before the shooting.
Sources confirmed that the property where Bigone resided was owned by a member of Chagniot’s family, effectively making Chagniot the victim’s landlord. A clear motive for the shooting has not yet been established by investigators.
Victim Remembered by Community
Bigone worked as a general laborer for the City of San Francisco. Friends and family members memorialized him as a man who had completely turned his life around after past struggles, describing him as someone who lived a quiet, hardworking life in recent years.
Prior High-Profile Connections
Public records reveal this is not Chagniot’s first proximity to a high-profile homicide case. Chagniot and his wife were previously tied into a separate Bay Area murder case involving a property manager who killed his employers to cover up an embezzlement scheme. Legal dockets list Chagniot as a relative who was present at that past crime scene.
The San Francisco Police Department’s homicide bureau is continuing its investigation into the Outer Sunset shooting.
