Moments Leading Up To Fatal Attack On Elderly Man Caught On Video

ORANGE COUNTY, CA — An 87-year-old man was killed after being attacked by a 26-year-old man Wednesday night in his Garden Grove home.

The moments leading up to the attack of Chuong Pham were captured on a security camera installed by his family members inside of his home, NBC Los Angeles reported.

According to the report, Pham's sons saw a stranger in the living room Wednesday night when they checked the Ring camera, but did not initially think much of it. The brothers told NBC that their father was well-known at his apartment complex and often walked home with the help of neighbors.

At around 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, the sons were watching the cameras from work when they saw a young man with their father for over a half hour.

"Suddenly, the camera cut out," the man's son, Khan Pham, told NBC.

The brothers raced home and ultimately found their father bound and bleeding, with the stranger still inside the home.

Police were called to the scene in the 9900 block of Central Avenue in Garden Grove at around 7:30 p.m. Wednesday on a report of a "burglary in progress," Garden Grove police Sgt. Nick Jensen.

26-year-old Mario Brancato — described by police as a transient — was arrested and booked on suspicion of murder, Jensen said. He stands accused of killing Chuong Pham, authorities said.

The victim's son came home from work and saw the intruder in his apartment with his father on the floor, Jensen said. No weapons were found at the scene but it appears the victim was beaten, Jensen said.

"But we don't know if other objects were used," Jensen said.

The victim's son called 911 and with the help of neighbors was able to detain the suspect, Jensen said.

The son did not recognize the suspect and it does not appear Brancato and Pham knew each other, Jensen said.

Anyone with information about the case was urged to call Detective Rogers at 714-741-5413, or police investigations at 714-741-5800.