Renowned Indian-origin mental health activist Meera Varma and her mother, Arti Varma, became the targets of a stabbing attack in a California home on Monday, local US news outlets reported this week. While 25-year-old Meera remains hospitalised after the violent incident in Burbank, her 59-year-old mother sadly succumbed to her injuries.
The Burbank Police Department has since issued an update in the investigation, announcing that detectives identified 30-year-old Sergio Fraire as a person of interest.
What do we know about the California stabbing attack suspect?
Police is still trying to uncover the relationship, if any, between Fraire and the Varma mother-daughter duo. The attack’s motive is also still under investigation.
According to the Burbank Police Department, officers and paramedics found two adult female victims suffering from stab wounds in a Burbank residence on Aprl 20, at about 6 am (US time). Authorities responded to the scene at the 2800 block of North Brighton Street after receiving a report of two people who had been stabbed inside a house.
Hours later, at about 10 pm, members of the Burbank Police Department’s Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team served a search warrant at a residence in the 500 block of East Palm Avenue in Burbank. The stabbing suspect was believed to residing at the location. He was eventually taken into custody without incident. Police also recovered evidence related to the crime.
While formal charges against him are pending review by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, the stabbing attack suspect was initially booked on suspicion for the murder of Arti Varma and the attempted murder of her daughter, Meera.
One of the Varmas’ neighbours told AB7 Eyewitness News that she shared surveillance footage showing the suspect evading the crime scene. Burbank PD’s subsequently published news release on Tuesday confirmed that detectives had identified Fraire as a person of interest in the case after conducting a comprehensive investigation, which included interviewing witnesses, canvassing for evidence, and collecting and reviewing surveillance video.