A California jury has found a 30-year-old Oakland man guilty in the death of his girlfriend, a promising young artist whose killing devastated family, friends, and the Bay Area creative community.
Following weeks of emotional testimony, Victor Frieson was convicted of second-degree murder, torture, and inflicting corporal injury resulting in great bodily injury in the 2024 death of Zoe Nika Reidy Watts, a 25-year-old ceramic artist and poet. Sentencing is scheduled for September.
Jury Reaches Verdict After Weeks of Trial
The verdict was announced on June 30 after jurors considered evidence presented by prosecutors detailing the final hours of Reidy Watts’ life.
According to the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office, Frieson assaulted Reidy Watts inside his Oakland apartment on March 1, 2024, causing catastrophic injuries that ultimately led to her death. Jurors found him guilty on all major counts presented during the trial.
Prosecutors Described Violent Final Hours
Court testimony revealed that the couple had returned to Frieson’s apartment following a dinner date on the night of the incident.
Prosecutors presented surveillance footage that allegedly showed Reidy Watts attempting to leave the apartment before being forced back inside. They argued the evidence demonstrated the violence continued after she tried to escape.
Authorities said the pair had been involved in an on-again, off-again relationship that lasted less than a year and had previously been the subject of two reported domestic violence incidents.
Remembered as a Rising Artist
Known professionally to many friends as Nika Killa Watts, Reidy Watts was an accomplished ceramicist, poet, and recent graduate of San Francisco State University.
She also worked as a technician at Clayroom SF, where fellow artists remembered her for her creativity, compassion, and enthusiasm.
Following her death, the studio described her as someone whose artwork drew inspiration from nature and healing while encouraging others to reflect on resilience and imagination. Friends said her positive energy left a lasting impact on everyone who knew her.
Prosecutors Call Verdict a Measure of Justice
After the conviction, Alameda County District Attorney Ursula Jones Dickson said the verdict represented accountability for a young woman whose future held tremendous promise.
While acknowledging that no court decision could undo the family’s loss, prosecutors expressed hope that the outcome would provide some measure of justice for Reidy Watts’ loved ones and the artistic community that continues to mourn her.
Sentencing Scheduled for September
Frieson remains in custody and is scheduled to be sentenced on September 17.
The conviction concludes the trial phase of a case that drew significant attention across Northern California and highlighted ongoing concerns surrounding intimate partner violence.
Although the guilty verdict marks an important legal milestone, Reidy Watts’ family, friends, and fellow artists say her absence continues to be deeply felt throughout the community she inspired with both her artwork and her spirit.
