A 32-year-old woman from Kerala has been charged with two counts of murder in the United States after she allegedly stabbed one woman inside a San Jose home and fatally ran over another with an SUV in nearby Milpitas on the same day.
Anila Baby, a native of Kottayam, is accused of killing Ann Mathew, 39, and Anjana Hari, 35, on August 28. The Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office filed the murder charges against her on September 8.
Woman Fatally Run Over in Milpitas
According to court documents cited by US broadcaster KRON4, Anjana Hari was walking through the parking area of the Mill Creek Apartments in Milpitas shortly before noon on August 28 when she was struck by a blue Toyota Highlander.
The SUV reportedly hit three parked vehicles before leaving the area. Hari suffered fatal head injuries and was pronounced dead.
A witness told investigators that Hari appeared to know the driver and approached the SUV as though she was preparing to get inside. The two women reportedly appeared friendly, with no visible argument between them.
The witness said the SUV suddenly accelerated while Hari was walking in front of it. Investigators reportedly found no tyre marks suggesting that the driver had attempted to brake.
Hari and Baby both lived at the Mill Creek Apartments on Dixon Landing Road. Friends and relatives told police that the two women were close.
Second Woman Found Dead in San Jose
Around two hours later, at approximately 1:53 pm, San Jose Police officers responded to a report of suspicious circumstances at a residence in the 700 block of Linda Vista Street.
Officers found Ann Mathew unconscious inside the house with unexplained injuries. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
The San Jose Police homicide unit later determined that Mathew had suffered at least one stab wound.
Mathew, who was originally from Thiruvananthapuram, knew Baby, according to investigators. Hari was a native of Thrissur.
Relatives said the three women had spent time together the previous day, attending an Onam celebration and watching a film.
Baby Taken Into Custody
Later that day, Milpitas police officers located Baby inside her damaged SUV near a Walgreens store, less than a mile from the apartment complex.
According to the police report cited by KRON4, Baby had blood on her arms and legs and appeared to have sustained injuries herself.
She was reportedly incoherent and unable to answer officers’ questions before being taken into custody.
San Jose Police had initially investigated Mathew’s death separately and identified Baby as a suspect. As investigators reviewed evidence from both incidents, authorities linked her to Hari’s death as well.
Prosecutors subsequently charged Baby with the murders of both Mathew and Hari.
The case remains under investigation, and the allegations against Baby have not been proven in court.