MILPITAS, CA — A woman accused of fatally running over a friend in a Milpitas apartment complex parking lot is now charged with a second homicide in San Jose, prosecutors said Thursday.
Anila Baby, 32, was arraigned Thursday and is being held in jail without bail in connection with the two killings, according to the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office.
Baby was charged with the Aug. 28 murders of Anjana Hari, 35, and Ann Mary Mathew, 40. Prosecutors said the two cases involved victims who were known to Baby and described the crimes as requiring planning and sophistication.
Hari was killed in the parking lot of the Mill Creek Apartments in Milpitas, where she and Baby lived, prosecutors said. Mathew was found dead inside a San Jose residence from injuries caused by at least one stab wound, police said.
San Jose police said officers responded shortly before 2 p.m. on Aug. 28 to a residence on the 700 block of Linda Vista Street after receiving a report of suspicious circumstances.
Officers said they found Mathew unresponsive inside the home. She had trauma to her head and extremities and appeared to be strangled, authorities said.
She was pronounced dead at the scene.
Detectives said they determined that Mathew and Baby knew each other and identified Baby as a suspect in the killing. Baby had already been arrested in Milpitas earlier that day in connection with Hari's death.
The San Jose case was added to the charges against Baby Tuesday, prosecutors said.
Baby was arrested Aug. 28 after police found Hari critically injured in the parking lot of the Mill Creek Apartments.
Witnesses told police that Baby's Toyota Highlander pulled into the parking lot and stopped near Hari, who appeared to recognize the driver. Hari then walked in front of the SUV before the vehicle suddenly accelerated, striking her and three parked cars, according to the police report provided to prosecutors.
Hari suffered significant head injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Baby left the complex but was found less than a mile away in a Walgreens parking lot. An officer reported that she appeared incoherent and was unable to respond to questions. Her SUV had significant front-end damage, police said.
Baby was initially charged with murder in Hari's death on Sept. 1. The second murder charge was added after investigators linked her to Mathew's killing, authorities said.
Baby is scheduled to return to court Nov. 17 for a plea hearing.
The cases remain under investigation.
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