Murder Charges Filed In Fatal Beating Of Temecula Woman, 54, In Drugstore Checkout Line

TEMECULA, CA --- A man accused of fatally beating a 54-year-old woman standing in line with her daughter at a Temecula store was charged with murder Wednesday.

Brian Eldon Saylor, 31, of Temecula, is accused of inflicting severe wounds that ultimately claimed the life of Tammy Serrano, also of Temecula.

The victim succumbed to her injuries at about 9:30 p.m. Tuesday at Inland Valley Medical Center in Wildomar.

The Riverside County District Attorney's Office on Wednesday afternoon filed a criminal complaint against Saylor, who is expected to be arraigned Thursday at the Southwest Justice Center in Murrieta. He's being held in lieu of $1 million bail at the nearby Southwest Detention Center.

According to sheriff's Sgt. Ray Huskey, deputies were called to the CVS/Pharmacy at 31771 Rancho California Road, in the shopping district just off Meadows Parkway, shortly after 5 p.m. Monday to investigate reports of an assault.

The victim's family told NBC4 that Serrano was standing in the checkout line with her daughter when a stranger walked up and struck her in the back of the head with a large liquor bottle.

Pharmacy employees held the 6-foot-2, 240-pound Saylor and identified him as the alleged attacker, according to Huskey. The deadly encounter was apparently recorded by store surveillance video cameras.

Saylor, who was arrested without incident, has no listed felony or misdemeanor convictions in Riverside County.

An employee of a market in the same shopping center told reporters that the defendant was often seen walking around the area. The man, who did not want to be identified, said Saylor sometimes appeared drunk and shoplifted alcohol, but did not seem violent.

Serrano's family and friends planned a vigil outside the CVS at Wednesday night in memory of the mother and grandmother. They were asking people to wear the color red, which was her favorite.

• Previous: Woman Attacked In Temecula Pharmacy Dies From Injuries; Suspect Could Face Murder Charge

• Also see: Tip Leads To Temecula Arrest Of Alleged Child-Abducting Mom

--City News Service