It has been 28 years since Samuel Canaday, 57, was discovered dead on a street in San Leandro, and the Alameda County Sheriff's Office is reaching out to the public to help bring closure to a case that has grown cold. On the evening of January 4, 1998, Canaday's lifeless body was found on the center divider of E. 14th Street, near 168th Avenue, after what appeared to be a tumultuous day marked by an argument and a last sighting of him walking alone, carrying a toolbox.
According to a recent social media post by the Alameda County Sheriff's Office, Canaday had earlier engaged in a verbal altercation with an unidentified black male outside of the Corner House restaurant. This dispute may well have ultimately set the stage for the tragic events that followed. After entering the restaurant momentarily, Canaday left around 5:30 PM, with his last known movements placing him leaving a trailer park on 168th Avenue at around 7:50 PM.
Those in possession of information related to Canaday’s case are encouraged to directly contact the Cold Case Homicide Unit investigators at (510) 667-3661. For those who prefer to remain anonymous, there is still an opportunity to assist; the sheriff's office has made an Anonymous Tip Line available at (510) 667-3622.
