BREAKING: North Bay Assault Victim, 63, Dies From Injuries Sustained During Robbery

A 63-year-old woman reportedly robbed and attacked Wednesday in a Fairfield shopping center parking lot died this morning from her injuries, and the suspect in the case will now face homicide charges, according to police.

Cheryl Ann Sherwood, a Suisun City resident, was struck in the head with a baseball bat shortly before noon in the southwest lot of Solano Town Center, the Fairfield Police Department said. She passed away this morning at 6 a.m. from injuries that were classified as “life-threatening” after the assault.

On Wednesday, Sherwood was walking to her car when hit from behind with a baseball bat swung by William David King, a 19-year-old Vallejo resident, who also stole the woman’s handbag, police said.

King was arrested on Wednesday in the 100 block of Fairmont Avenue by Vallejo police in connection with the reported attack and robbery of a 37-year-old woman at an ATM in that city, police said. The victim in that case was allegedly hit in the head with a hammer.

While investigating the incident involving Sherwood, Fairfield police learned of the similarities with the Vallejo case. Vallejo detectives found Sherwood’s purse in King’s possession when he was arrested, police said.

King subsequently was booked at the Solano County Jail for suspicion of robbery and attempted murder for the Fairfield case and also suspected robbery and attempted murder for the Vallejo incident, police said. With Sherwood’s passing, ”this is now a homicide case,” Fairfield police said in a statement.

Detectives are working with the Solano County District Attorney’s Office to upgrade King’s charges to murder, the department said.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with Mrs. Sherwood’s family during this time of loss,” Fairfield police stated. “This was a bold, brazen and random crime of opportunity. Fire and medical personnel were inside the mall on an unrelated medical call at the time of the attack. A Fairfield Fire Squad and a Medic Ambulance were parked in front of the Mall entrance with their emergency lights on just yards away from this crime.”

The department added: “The Fairfield Police Department is committed to the safety of everyone who lives, works and shops in the City of Fairfield and the Solano Town Center. While it is almost impossible to prevent this type of random act of violence, we will be increasing patrols of the area in and around the Solano Town Center in an effort to deter criminal activity.”

In the Tuesday Vallejo attack, Vallejo PD officers responded at 11:10 a.m. to a robbery that had just occurred at the Wells Fargo Bank at 1702 Tennessee St. Witnesses told police they saw the victim walking to her vehicle when the suspect approached and hit the 37-year-old woman in the head several times with a hammer.

The victim dropped the money she was holding, and the suspect took the money from the ground and fled the area in his vehicle. The victim suffered major injuries in that attack, police said.

No updates on her condition were available.

Previous posts:

• Fairfield Assault Suspect Hit Woman In Head With Hammer During Vallejo Robbery: Police
• Arrest Made In Assault Of Woman, 63, In Fairfield Shopping Center Lot
• Woman Assaulted In Solano Town Center Parking Lot, Suffering Life-threatening Injuries