SOME SAY ATTACK'S LOCATION DRAWS CRIME
07/25/2007
By Connie Skipitaresand Sean Webby
The Mercury News (San Jose, Calif., USA)
The family of the 46-year-old San Jose woman who was brutally slain over the weekend said Tuesday that they are devastated by the crime, which they called "beyond describable."
"For everyone in the family, it's just not comprehensible," said Ratana Kim, a cousin of Sany San, whose body was found about 6:30 a.m. Sunday under shrubbery on Story Road near Knox Avenue. She had been robbed, raped, viciously beaten and repeatedly stabbed.
Early Tuesday, a second man, Luis Alberto Lorenzo, 18, was arrested in connection with the crime. Authorities on Monday had arrested Julio Cesar Jovel, 30, on suspicion of murder, robbery and sexual assault. Police described both men as transients who, like many homeless people in the East San Jose neighborhood next to Highway 101, shuffled between abandoned homes and empty lots in the area.
Kim said San was a very shy, reserved woman "who never drew undue attention to herself. So for something like this to happen to her, it just blows the family's mind."
San was born in Cambodia and had been living in San Jose for about four years, Kim said. She is survived by her mother in Cambodia, who Kim said is very distraught over her daughter's death, as are San's relatives in San Jose.
San will be cremated and her remains returned to her mother.
San attended the Khemara Rangsey temple in East San Jose, where many area Cambodians worship.
"We feel very sad that one of our people was allegedly murdered," said Ratana Yoeng, a monk at the temple. "We feel deep sympathy for her family."
Police said Lorenzo was booked into Santa Clara County's main jail after someone called late Monday to report seeing a man who matched a police description.
He was arrested without incident at an abandoned home in the neighborhood where San was killed.
He and Jovel, who was booked into jail Monday, potentially face charges of murder, sexual assault and robbery.
Officer Enrique Garcia said police believe both men participated equally in the attack and slaying, which they are calling "the most vicious, violent and monstrous crime" the city has seen in years.
San was attacked as she walked home from a relative's house just after 6 a.m. Sunday. As she neared Knox Avenue on Story Road, police said, the men chatted her up, initially intending to rob her, but then quickly began pummeling her.
They allegedly dragged her from view, and both sexually assaulted her before stabbing her repeatedly and leaving her to die under some shrubs, Garcia said.
San, a small woman, lived in San Jose and was on her way home after staying with relatives in the neighborhood where she was assaulted, police said. She apparently was heading for a bus and minding her own business when the men approached her, Garcia said.
The area where San was attacked is a mix of apartments, single-family homes and ethnic shopping plazas. While Knox Avenue residents describe the area as safe and friendly, others say some of the commercial areas and their parking lots attract crime and transients.
Small homeless encampments dot the parched, grassy spot near where San's ravaged body was found, along with shopping carts, makeshift beds and trash. The site is near a recycling center where the homeless take their collections of cans and bottles.
Donna Purnell, 53, was one of the homeless people interviewed by police soon after San's body was found. She said she doesn't know the suspects. The ferocity of the attack shocked and surprised her.
Purnell said it had been basically peaceful among the dry scrub, where she had lived for years.
"They didn't even know this woman, just snatched her and cut her up? How horrible," Purnell said, raising her voice to be heard over the constant roar of traffic.
She said she wasn't scared.
"The scariest times I've spent in my life have been behind closed doors," she said and wheeled her stuffed shopping cart back into the bushes.
San's killing is San Jose's 15th reported slaying this year. Police are continuing their investigation.
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call Sgt. Brian Ferrante or detective Sean Pritchard at (408) 277-5283.
Tipsters wishing to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at (408) 947-STOP.
IF YOU'RE INTERESTED
Memorial contributions in honor of Sany San may be sent to the San Jose Police Officers' Association, 1151 N. Fourth St., San Jose, Calif. 95112. For more information, call (408) 298-1133.
Mercury News Staff Writer Jessie Mangaliman contributed to this report.
Contact Connie Skipitares at cskipitares@mercurynews.com or (408) 920-5647.
07/25/2007
By Connie Skipitaresand Sean Webby
The Mercury News (San Jose, Calif., USA)
The family of the 46-year-old San Jose woman who was brutally slain over the weekend said Tuesday that they are devastated by the crime, which they called "beyond describable."
"For everyone in the family, it's just not comprehensible," said Ratana Kim, a cousin of Sany San, whose body was found about 6:30 a.m. Sunday under shrubbery on Story Road near Knox Avenue. She had been robbed, raped, viciously beaten and repeatedly stabbed.
Early Tuesday, a second man, Luis Alberto Lorenzo, 18, was arrested in connection with the crime. Authorities on Monday had arrested Julio Cesar Jovel, 30, on suspicion of murder, robbery and sexual assault. Police described both men as transients who, like many homeless people in the East San Jose neighborhood next to Highway 101, shuffled between abandoned homes and empty lots in the area.
Kim said San was a very shy, reserved woman "who never drew undue attention to herself. So for something like this to happen to her, it just blows the family's mind."
San was born in Cambodia and had been living in San Jose for about four years, Kim said. She is survived by her mother in Cambodia, who Kim said is very distraught over her daughter's death, as are San's relatives in San Jose.
San will be cremated and her remains returned to her mother.
San attended the Khemara Rangsey temple in East San Jose, where many area Cambodians worship.
"We feel very sad that one of our people was allegedly murdered," said Ratana Yoeng, a monk at the temple. "We feel deep sympathy for her family."
Police said Lorenzo was booked into Santa Clara County's main jail after someone called late Monday to report seeing a man who matched a police description.
He was arrested without incident at an abandoned home in the neighborhood where San was killed.
He and Jovel, who was booked into jail Monday, potentially face charges of murder, sexual assault and robbery.
Officer Enrique Garcia said police believe both men participated equally in the attack and slaying, which they are calling "the most vicious, violent and monstrous crime" the city has seen in years.
San was attacked as she walked home from a relative's house just after 6 a.m. Sunday. As she neared Knox Avenue on Story Road, police said, the men chatted her up, initially intending to rob her, but then quickly began pummeling her.
They allegedly dragged her from view, and both sexually assaulted her before stabbing her repeatedly and leaving her to die under some shrubs, Garcia said.
San, a small woman, lived in San Jose and was on her way home after staying with relatives in the neighborhood where she was assaulted, police said. She apparently was heading for a bus and minding her own business when the men approached her, Garcia said.
The area where San was attacked is a mix of apartments, single-family homes and ethnic shopping plazas. While Knox Avenue residents describe the area as safe and friendly, others say some of the commercial areas and their parking lots attract crime and transients.
Small homeless encampments dot the parched, grassy spot near where San's ravaged body was found, along with shopping carts, makeshift beds and trash. The site is near a recycling center where the homeless take their collections of cans and bottles.
Donna Purnell, 53, was one of the homeless people interviewed by police soon after San's body was found. She said she doesn't know the suspects. The ferocity of the attack shocked and surprised her.
Purnell said it had been basically peaceful among the dry scrub, where she had lived for years.
"They didn't even know this woman, just snatched her and cut her up? How horrible," Purnell said, raising her voice to be heard over the constant roar of traffic.
She said she wasn't scared.
"The scariest times I've spent in my life have been behind closed doors," she said and wheeled her stuffed shopping cart back into the bushes.
San's killing is San Jose's 15th reported slaying this year. Police are continuing their investigation.
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call Sgt. Brian Ferrante or detective Sean Pritchard at (408) 277-5283.
Tipsters wishing to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at (408) 947-STOP.
IF YOU'RE INTERESTED
Memorial contributions in honor of Sany San may be sent to the San Jose Police Officers' Association, 1151 N. Fourth St., San Jose, Calif. 95112. For more information, call (408) 298-1133.
Mercury News Staff Writer Jessie Mangaliman contributed to this report.
Contact Connie Skipitares at cskipitares@mercurynews.com or (408) 920-5647.
1 comment:
now, why would a family or relative of her just not thinking!! letting her walking alone at 6am in the morning to catch a bus. Why don't they just keep her there untill day break or drove her home? This isn't Cambodia. So many psycho asshole out there looking to terrorize people when they see apportunity. This poor woman happen to be at the right time for them. Shame on her family...You could have prevented this. Shame and I'm deeply sad by this story. :{
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