Two Kerala women killed in California; one murdered in flat, another hit by SUV; ‘friend’ detained

The incident took place in Milpitas, with the deceased identified as Anjana Hari, 35, who hailed from Thrissur, and Ann Mathew, 40, from Thiruvananthapuram.

Two women from Kerala were allegedly killed in California, United States, by a “friend”, with all three reportedly residents of the same apartment complex.

The incident took place in Milpitas, California, with the deceased identified as Anjana Hari, 35, who hailed from Thrissur, and Ann Mathew, 40, from Thiruvananthapuram. Their “friend”, Anila, a native of Kottayam, has been taken into custody in connection with the murder, Manorama Online reported.

The San Jose Police Department, which is investigating the case, said the incident occurred on August 28 at around 1.53 am in the 700 block of Linda Vista Street. The three had attended Onam celebrations together just days before the murder, Manorama Online cited a close relative of Anjana as saying.

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Union minister Suresh Gopi on Monday said all steps would be taken to bring back the mortal remains of the two women, officially confirming the deaths as homicides. However, he said specific motives and detailed investigative findings would be known only after formal reports are issued by the United States authorities to the ministry of external affairs, ministry of home affairs and NORKA.

What do we know about the incident?

The two women were allegedly killed in separate incidents one after the other on the same day. According to information received by the deceased's relatives, Anila killed Ann in the room of her apartment at ‘Mill Creek Apartment’ complex on Dixon Landing Road.

Following this, she allegedly called Anjana downstairs to the parking lot and hit her with a car. The police, on the afternoon of August 28, received the report of a person being hit by a vehicle, following which personnel arrived at the spot. “On Friday, August 28, at 12:01 P.M., Milpitas Police 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,” Milpitas Police said in a post on X.

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While Anjana was pronounced dead, the cops found the blue SUV used to hit her parked at a nearby parking lot, Manorama Online reported. The four-wheeler was damaged. Meanwhile, Ann was found dead inside her apartment

The cops, after further investigation, took Anila into custody.

Deceased women, accused lived with their families in the same complex

All the three women were residing in the same apartment complex with their families. Ann's husband, Jacob, went to their apartment after he learnt of Anjana's death, but found his wife unconscious.

The three women were employed in different jobs in America, The Indian Express reported. Anjana had moved to the US in 2021, and is survived by her husband Vijeesh and their six-year-old daughter, according to a report by PTI news agency.

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