NU professor dropped off alleged accomplice at SF police station

SAN FRANCISCO — Wyndham Lathem, the Northwestern professor suspected of murder, dropped off his alleged accomplice, Andrew Warren, at a San Francisco police station before Lathem turned himself in to federal authorities in Oakland on Friday, police told the Chicago Sun-Times.

San Francisco Police Lt. Randy Caturay confirmed to the Sun-Times that Warren surrendered to police by himself Friday, though Lathem drove him to the station in Golden Gate Park.

Caturay added that, after Warren was in custody, he was questioned by San Francisco Police Department homicide detectives. He said that the British consulate was also made aware of Warren’s arrest.

The two were wanted for allegedly murdering 26-year-old Trenton H. James Cornell-Duranleau on July 27 inside an apartment in the Grand Plaza Apartments in the 500 block of North State Street in River North.

A spokeswoman for the San Francisco County sheriff’s office said it was not yet known when Warren would appear in court. A Chicago Police spokesman said both men will face a judge in California before being extradited to Chicago.

Lathem, 42, will have a hearing at 9 a.m. Monday at the the Alameda County Courthouse in Pleasanton, California, according to the Alameda County sheriff’s office. Pleasanton is about 35 miles east of San Francisco.

Chicago attorney Barry Sheppard said his law firm has been retained to represent Lathem.

Chicago police

Sheppard said he was last in contact with Lathem on Friday, as a surrender was being negotiated between Lathem and authorities in Oakland.

“It went smoothly,” said Sheppard, who declined to specify the terms of the surrender. “It was very peaceful and orderly.”

“I believe he’s hopeful,” Sheppard said.

San Francisco attorney Kenneth Wine will represent Lathem during his Monday court hearing, Sheppard said. Wine could not be reached for comment on Sunday.

The Associated Press reported Saturday that the two men surrendered to authorities in the Bay Area after negotiating with law enforcement officials.

Supervisory Deputy U.S. Marshal Frank Conroy said Saturday that fast-paced surrender negotiations through an attorney began late Friday afternoon and that by evening, Lathem arrived by car at the California courthouse.

Conroy did not provide details of the negotiations, and he withheld the identity of the lawyer pending Lathem’s court appearance Monday.

Investigators talked with Lathem’s friends during the week, including people from his graduate and undergraduate days, along with his colleagues.

Conroy said he believed some of the friends were in contact with Lathem while he was a fugitive, and that the attorney probably became involved through a recommendation.

Conroy didn’t have any details on Warren’s surrender because “he wasn’t our primary target, Mr. Lathem was.”