New detail in California twin murders: Hit-and-run, stabbing 17 km and 1.5 hrs apart

The mystery around the California twin murders of two Malayali women by their friend, also a Malayali, on Friday (August 28) continues as the San Jose police remain tight-lipped and so do the community members in the US.

While 32-year-old Anila is in police custody for the alleged murders of Anjana Hari (35) and Ann Mary Mathew (40), the police have not divulged any further details, on either the motive or the sequence of events.

However, one new detail has emerged, according to a report in On Manorama. While it was widely reported on Monday (August 31) that the three women lived in the same housing complex in Milpitas, it has now emerged that the two murders did not occur in the same location.

First murder at 12 noon

In fact, Anila allegedly mowed down Anjana with her SUV first, which the police initially treated as a hit-and-run case. The Milpitas Police posted on X on Friday, that at 12.01 pm, its officers “responded to 440 Dixon Landing Road after receiving reports of a hit-and-run traffic collision in the parking lot of the Mill Creek Apartments. Witnesses reported seeing a blue SUV leaving the area immediately following the incident.”

Also read: Two Malayali women killed, third is accused: What we know so far about California case

This victim was reportedly Anjana. “When officers arrived, they found a female victim who had sustained significant injuries as a result of the collision. Unfortunately, she was pronounced deceased at the scene,” the post says.

“Officers quickly searched the surrounding area and found a blue SUV matching the description in a nearby parking lot. The vehicle had significant damage consistent with being involved in a collision. The driver, a 32-year-old Milpitas resident, was arrested in connection with the incident,” the post reads.

Second murder more than an hour later

Ann Mary’s murder reportedly took place more than an hour later, at Linda Vista Street, which is around 17 km from Dixon Landing Road. They did live in the same housing complex on Dixon Landing Road but reportedly moved to Linda Vista Street in San Jose from Milpitas two months ago.

According to the On Manorama report, the San Jose Police Department said in a release that at 1.53 pm on the same day, it responded to a stabbing report in block 700 of Linda Vista Street, and the victim was found to have suffered at least one stab wound, which was ruled as homicide.

Also read: Three homes, no answers: Shock and disbelief in Keralam over California murders

A Malayali resident in California who knew all three families told On Manorama that they first thought Anila had “accidentally pressed on the accelerator” and caused Anjana’s death. This resident said Ann Mary’s husband Jacob, who evidently had no idea about the threat to her life, rushed to help Anjana’s family. Later, Ann Mary lay dead as well.

Motive still unknown

Police have reportedly found forensic evidence at the scene though details of it are unknown. Local community members also rejected claims of job loss-related “depression” as the reason for the murders. The three women’s close friends have reportedly denied any tensions among the trio and said it was normal for people in the US to lose or change jobs and that could not be a possible motive for such drastic action.

The local community members reportedly also know Anila as a devout Christian actively associated with the St Thomas Syro Malabar Catholic Church of San Francisco. Those who knew her in Kerala also remember her as calm and soft-spoken, as Malayalis in both countries continue to search for answers.