Man Charged with Murder in Death of Gay Former Journalist

A man has been charged with murder in the April 15 death of a gay former Bay Area Reporter freelance writer who had covered marriage equality and other issues before opening a moped shop in Sacramento.

Daniel James Aiello, 53, is being remembered as a "passionate" journalist who was also known for his generosity and sense of fun.

Kyle Billy Fletcher, 36, is charged with murder, and felony second-degree robbery and first-degree residential burglary, according to the Sacramento County District Attorney's office. Friends of Aiello said that he'd tried to help Fletcher before Aiello grew to fear the younger man.

Officials haven't provided details of how Aiello may have died, but the criminal complaint says Fletcher had used a belt as "a deadly and dangerous weapon."

Sabrina Eileen Ahrens-Gravelle, 39, is also charged with felony second-degree residential burglary in the case.

Both are in custody. They are "ineligible for bail," according to the Sacramento County Sheriff's Department. Court records show they were arraigned Friday, but plea information wasn't available. Their next court date is April 28.

It wasn't clear as of Tuesday who Fletcher's attorney is. Jeff Raven, the conflicts attorney assigned to represent Ahrens-Gravelle, didn't immediately respond to an interview request.

In a news release Wednesday, April 15, the Sacramento Police Department said that the agency got a report from a neighbor at 3:20 a.m. that day "regarding loud noises and crashing heard from a business near the 1300 block of X Street." (Aiello's Midtown Moped is at 1326 X Street, where he also lived.)

Responding officers "observed a man and a woman who appeared to be loading items into a vehicle parked in front of the business," police said. They were "immediately detained" and eventually identified and arrested as Fletcher and Ahrens-Gravelle.

"Once inside the business officers found an unresponsive male in his 40s," police said. The Sacramento Fire Department was called and pronounced the man dead. The coroner's office soon identified him as Aiello.

Police said, "Although a motive is not yet known, detectives do not believe this was a random act."

It's not clear what Aiello and Fletcher's relationship was, or how long they'd known each other.

Officer Justin Brown, a police spokesman, said as of Tuesday, "detectives are not releasing any further information on that case."

Shelly Orio, a spokeswoman for the DA's office, said, "We don't comment on open cases." Deputy District Attorney William Satchell is prosecuting the case.

Brown said the coroner's office was to determine the cause and manner of Aiello's death.

Trina Frias, an account clerk at the coroner's office, said an autopsy was performed on Aiello last Thursday, but it could take "three to six months" before the cause and manner of death is released. Frias said she didn't have any information on what his injuries were.

She said Aiello had died April 15, but the records didn't show what time he'd died.

Megan Juring, 52, of Long Beach, a friend of Aiello's since grade school, said, "I went to the scene when the police were still investigating, but they would not share anything."

However, she said, "The police took the door lock with them ... the knob and everything, as part of evidence."

'Afraid'

Juring said the last time she spoke with Aiello was via text Friday, April 10. He told her he was planning to come to southern California to pick up a scooter.

In recent months, her longtime friend had been troubled, Juring indicated.

"He had texted me in February that he was very nervous and afraid and was making a point to secure the shop and his living quarters there at night," she said. "He was afraid someone would break in."

At the time, she said, he didn't mention Fletcher, but she said neighbors confirmed Aiello "had determined not to have anything to do with the man."

Sacramento court records don't show any attempts by Aiello to get a restraining order against Fletcher, but Juring said he'd mentioned to her that he'd sought help from the county's Adult Protective Services office.

"He didn't feel like he'd received much benefit from doing that," she said. The agency declined to comment, citing privacy law.

Juring said Aiello wasn't afraid someone would break in "because he had great wealth in his possession. I had to believe he was afraid of being hurt."

She said sometimes Aiello would ask her "at the end of the month to help with food. We would do a gift certificate to Target or something."

Aiello never mentioned Fletcher or Ahrens-Gravelle's names specifically, Juring said.

She didn't think Fletcher had been living with Aiello. She didn't know any more about the men's relationship.

A screenshot from the moped shop's Facebook page shows a shop counter and the post, "Kyle started to airbrush the logos, but like every Kyle overpromise I got tired of waiting. ... Meanwhile, out amongst the fleet of scooters, even less has been accomplished." He added, "And yes ... that is my blood pressure medication by the cash register." A friend of Aiello's provided the screenshot. The message was posted in March.

Kalie Sanjiyan, 29, of Sacramento, knew Aiello for over eight years. She used to walk his dogs, and they eventually became friends.

Despite his limited means, Aiello was generous, according to friends.

"Dan was always the one to help you, always the one to do whatever he could for you, and that's really rare to find," Sanjiyan said.

Talented Journalist

Many are remembering Aiello as a talented journalist.

B.A.R. news editor Cynthia Laird, who edited Aiello's stories, said that she was shocked when she learned of his death last week.

"It is a senseless tragedy," Laird said. "Dan was a great person who cared a lot for his community. He was always looking to hold officials accountable, especially for their anti-gay stands."

Aiello wrote for the paper from 2000-2001, then again from 2008-2009 and 2011 to early 2013. During the Proposition 8 campaign in 2008, Aiello covered the anti-gay Yes on 8 campaign and investigated the involvement of the Mormon and Catholic churches, which provided financial support. He continued his reporting after the election, looking into donations by Catholic organizations.

Aiello also covered marijuana reform efforts, state politics, anti-gay violence, and wrote stories about the lead-up to the 2012 presidential race.

Gay state Senator Mark Leno (D-San Francisco) said in a statement, "I was deeply troubled and saddened to hear of Dan's tragic passing last week. Dan was a prolific writer and a friend to our office. My condolences go out to his family and loved ones as they cope with this shocking loss."

Christine Allen, 65, of Sacramento, knew Aiello for around eight years. They met when he was a reporter interviewing her about Marriage Equality USA, where she's the IT director. They eventually became friends.

"I'm still in shock about this whole thing," Allen, who's Sanjiyan's mother, said of Aiello's death.

Aiello "was really passionate. He was really open-hearted," she said, and "he cared a lot" about "doing good writing."

Allen pointed to his coverage of the Mormon church's anti-gay efforts as an example.

His work on that topic came "long before many of us were aware or thinking about the issue, much less working on it." He later became "passionate" about saving California's Hetch Hetchy reservoir.

With the serious nature of so much of his work, people sometimes didn't see Aiello's "incredible sense of fun" and his "enthusiasm for life," Allen said. His lighter side was exemplified by his opening Midtown Moped.

After the "long" process of getting his business license, Aiello "was really getting the word out locally about the shop, and he really enjoyed it," Allen said. He planned to keep writing, but the moped shop, where he even taught people how to do their own repairs, was to be his primary focus.

Allen, who referred to herself as an "old lesbian," recalled the time last year Aiello came over with a scooter and said, "Come on, Christine, get on. Let's take a spin." She jumped on the bike and took off down the street, riding off and on people's lawns.

Aiello, who'd been living with AIDS, had seemed to be bouncing back from some hard times.

"Dan went through a very serious illness in 2010 and fought very hard for his life at that time, and since that time he lived his life with great purpose and interests, and I think perhaps that brought a different perspective in his life about what was important," Juring said. "It was important for him to touch people, and important to him to learn."

She said that was part of his passion for mopeds, which "really brought together his elements of curiosity and human connection."

Referring to Aiello's death, Juring said, "It's just a senseless act conducted by a very evil person."

The B.A.R. wasn't able to find anyone who knew Fletcher that was willing to talk about him, but Sacramento County court records offer some information on his background.

In 2005, he pleaded no contest to charges related to domestic violence and drug possession. Several other charges were dismissed, and he was sentenced to prison, according to court data.

Then, in 2008, Fletcher pleaded no contest to a drunk driving charge, the court records show. He was granted three years of informal probation.

In a brief phone call Tuesday, a woman who said she owns Classic Tattoo Club Sacramento, said, "We have nothing to do with Kyle," and "he hasn't worked with us for over a year." She said she wanted "nothing to do with this story" before hanging up the phone.

Plans for Aiello's memorial are pending.