Man charged in double-murder of Bay Area couple attending music festival

OAKLAND - A couple was in Oakland for a music festival; he was a third-year business major, a “self-starter” and she had a smile that ‘lit up a room,' and was just shy of her 21st birthday.

Their fun outing turned tragic when the couple, Ryan Wasilavsky, 20, of Dublin, and Giovanna “Gigi” Giannini, 20, of Daly City, were killed on Sept. 28 in East Oakland.

Police were called after a car crashed into a house in the 500 block of Douglas Avenue just after 11 a.m. But once they arrived, police found the couple shot in the head in a silver Ford Focus that had careened into the house, according to court documents.

Keith Riley, 36, was charged Tuesday with their murders with special circumstances, meaning he could face the death penalty or a life sentence without the possibility of parole. The special circumstances alleged are felony murder during the course of a robbery, and multiple murders.

He's also facing a charge of the second-degree robbery of victim Wasilavsky, according to court documents. He was arrested Oct. 3.

Riley was identified during the investigation based on surveillance footage, witness statements, text messages, social media and records from Wasilavsky and Riley, placing them together before and after Wasilavsky and Giannini's deaths, the document says. Police have not indicated a motive for the shootings.

The couple had been in the Oakland area to attend the Rolling Loud Bay Area hip-hop festival.

According to Wasilavsky's obituary, he was born in Walnut Creek but grew up in Dublin and was a 2017 graduate of Dublin High. He was in his third year studying business at Cal State East Bay. The obituary says that he was a self-starter from a young age, took pleasure in showering his family with love and gifts and enjoyed traveling with his beloved girlfriend, “Gigi.”

“He was treasured by all who knew him and will be deeply missed,” the obituary says.

Giannini had been just two days away from her 21st birthday.

“Gigi was a loving, funny, beautiful young woman with a passion for beauty. She lit up a room with just a smile. Her affection toward her mother and grandparents was exemplary. People were drawn to her loving, sweet, gentle hearted nature,” her obituary reads.

A GoFundMe page has been set up for Wasilavsky and his family.