Attorneys settle on 3 years for man who killed his friend in an Oakland showdown. The case centered on graffiti and unrequited love

Graffiti is seen on a wall along Wood Street in West Oakland, Calif., on Tuesday, Aug. 7, 2018. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group) OAKLAND — A Vallejo man has accepted a three-year prison term through a plea deal that saw his charges drop from murder to involuntary manslaughter in the April 2022 killing of his longtime friend, according to court records. Sean Struckus, 29, pleaded no contest to involuntary manslaughter in the death of 34-year-old Andrew Tavares. His plea form says he will receive a three-year prison term, which he’s already nearly served in whole while on pretrial detention since May 2022. Struckus is set to be formally sentenced on Oct. 30. Police and witness testimony at Struckus’ preliminary hearing revealed that the two had been longtime friends over a mutual interest in graffiti art, but that they both showed up to West Oakland on April 26, 2022 ready to fight or shoot. The two exchanged blows, and as Struckus appeared to be getting the better of the fight, Tavares pulled a gun and pointed at his former friend. After Tavares lowered the pistol, Struckus allegedly brought up his own silver revolver and shot Tavares in the chest. Struckus’ lawyer...