Two Malayali women from Kerala were killed in California, prompting police to detain a friend as they investigate the circumstances surrounding their deaths in Milpitas.
Two Malayali women from Kerala were tragically killed in California, with authorities detaining a woman who is reportedly a friend of the victims as part of the ongoing investigation into their deaths in Milpitas.
The victims have been identified as Anjana, 35, originally from Thrissur, and Ann, hailing from Kottayam. The incident occurred in the Milpitas area, according to reports from media outlets in Kerala. Relatives have stated that the two women were acquainted and resided in the same apartment complex.
A third woman, identified in reports as Anila, has been taken into custody in connection with the case. However, details surrounding the events leading to the deaths are still under investigation.
According to Onmanorama, Anjana was from Peechi in Thrissur. She had been living in California with her husband, Vijeesh, a software engineer, and their six-year-old daughter. Anjana worked as a school teacher. The Peechi police confirmed her death after receiving information from the Thrissur District Collectorate regarding the incident in the United States.
The Milpitas Police Department reported that officers responded around noon on Friday to a hit-and-run collision at the Mill Creek Apartments on Dixon Landing Road. Upon arrival, they found a woman with significant injuries, who was later pronounced dead at the scene.
Witnesses informed police that a blue SUV fled the area following the collision. Officers subsequently located a damaged blue SUV in a nearby parking lot and arrested its 32-year-old driver, a resident of Milpitas, according to police accounts cited by Onmanorama. The investigation remains active.
Reports from Kerala media have identified the second victim as Ann, from Kottayam. Relatives indicated that she was found dead inside her apartment after Anjana’s husband alerted a mutual friend following the vehicle incident. Some reports have suggested that Ann suffered stab wounds, although authorities have not publicly confirmed all details surrounding the deaths.
Relatives described the three women as close friends, emphasizing that they lived in the same apartment complex. The motive behind the deaths has not yet been officially established, and authorities are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the two fatalities and the role of the detained woman.
This case has garnered significant attention in Kerala, as both victims were connected to the state’s Malayali community in California. Their families are reportedly working on arrangements for the repatriation of their remains.
As of now, the identities of the victims and the suspect have not been officially confirmed by the Milpitas Police Department in the public statements cited by Onmanorama. The investigation is ongoing.