Former California Dentist Charged with Murder, Arson in Tenant's Execution-Style Killing

A former California dentist, Philippe Chagniot, 68, has been charged with murder and arson after allegedly killing his tenant, Eric Bigone, 58, in San Francisco’s Outer Sunset neighborhood on May 17. According to the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office, Chagniot disguised himself in a mask and dark clothing, rode a bicycle to Bigone’s home at around 5 a.m., and set fire to the tenant’s car after spray-painting surveillance cameras. When Bigone, attempting to extinguish the fire with a shovel, was shot execution-style by Chagniot using a silenced, fully automatic gun. Chagniot then shot Bigone again while he was on the ground before casually biking away. The motive remains unclear. Chagniot, whose dental license expired in 2024, was arrested on May 18 and is being held in the San Francisco County jail. Neighbors describe Chagniot as a "great neighbor" and "family man," while Bigone’s loved ones remember him as a reformed individual who taught youth boxing and sang in a band. The case has shocked the community, highlighting the extreme escalation of a tenant-landlord dispute.