California. An Indian-origin woman has been arrested for killing her two friends in separate incidents in California. It is alleged that he stabbed one friend and crushed another with his car. This information was provided by officers.
Aneela Baby, a 32-year-old Indian-origin woman, allegedly murdered her two friends in separate attacks about 90 minutes apart, according to police and media reports. The accused and the two victims were friends. He was originally from Kerala.
The murders took place on August 28 in San Jose and Milpitas, two cities in the South Bay area of the US state of California, which are less than 20 kilometers away from each other. Investigators later found a connection between the two murders and identified 'Baby' as the suspect, ABC7 News reports.
'Baby' was arrested the same day and initially charged with murder in Milpitas. However, on September 8, prosecutors also charged him with murder in Matthew's death. “The circumstances and circumstances behind the incident are still under investigation,” the San Jose Police Department (SJPD) said in a statement Thursday.
According to reports, Baby appeared in Santa Clara County Court for the first time on Thursday. He is scheduled to appear again on November 17, when he is expected to get a chance to present his plea. Baby is charged with two counts of first-degree murder, ABC 7 News reports. If found guilty, he could be sentenced to 50 years to life imprisonment.
According to investigators, the first murder occurred on August 28 at Matthews' home on Linda Vista Street in San Jose, the report said. Witnesses told that an unknown visitor had come to Mathew's door. Government lawyers said Mathews was later found dead inside her home. According to the report, investigators said she had been strangled and stabbed. He was left in a pool of blood.
Matthews was found unconscious in her San Jose home with stab wounds, SJPD said. He was declared dead on the spot. About 90 minutes later, Baby called Hari in the parking lot of his apartment complex in Milpitas. According to a San Francisco Chronicle report, Baby and Hari lived in the same apartment complex and friends and family described them as close friends.
Witnesses told investigators that when Hari approached Baby's SUV, she seemed calm and friendly. The report states that when she came in front of the vehicle, the vehicle suddenly accelerated and hit her. According to reports, after hitting Hari, Baby allegedly fled from the apartment complex and also hit three other vehicles.
Police later found a blue Toyota SUV parked outside a retail pharmacy store about 1.6 kilometers away, the report said. Baby, identified as the driver, was speaking in a confused manner, according to the newspaper report. She was not able to answer the questions of the officers. There was blood on his hands and feet. He was arrested and sent to Santa Clara County Main Jail.
Friends and relatives are trying to understand how such a deep friendship could end with so much violence. There is speculation that this incident may have happened due to problems related to Baby's job in America, but the police have not confirmed this.
Meanwhile, the Kerala government has intensified efforts to bring back the bodies of Hari and Mathew to India. State officials have assured their families of help in expediting the legal processes.