Friends and supporters of an Oakland man and former Danville journalism professor murdered during a walk in the Huckleberry Botanic Regional Preserve will gather and walk the trail where he was slain Feb. 1.
David Ruenzel was shot and killed on a favorite trail in the preserve just two days before Thanksgiving. He had recently retired from a position teaching journalism at Athenian School in Danville. Police believe his killers picked him at random for robbery and shot him before running off. His murder sent shock waves throughout several communities – including his many students, park users, and friends.
The walk will stop at the spot where Ruenzel was murdered – a short distance down the trail from the Skyline Boulevard parking lot at the Preserve. His widow, Nancy, said on the effort’s Facebook page that the group will leave flowers and small mementos at the site. Supporters hope the walk will freshen public memory of the case – still unsolved – and possibly lead to the arrest of Ruenzel’s murderers.
