TORRANCE, CA – A woman in her 60s was fatally attacked on the campus of El Camino College near Torrance, California on Christmas Eve, according to campus police. The woman, who was walking her dog and collecting recyclables at about 7 a.m., was reportedly attacked with a sledgehammer.
By the time authorities arrived on the scene, the assailant had fled, and the victim was found unconscious and bleeding from her head near the gymnasium building. Despite being rushed to a local hospital, the woman died from her injuries on Christmas Day. Her faithful dog stayed by her side throughout the tragic ordeal.
Upon reviewing surveillance footage, campus police identified 40-year-old Jeffrey Davis as the suspect. Davis, believed to be a local homeless person known to police, was found and arrested in a neighboring county park.
Residents of the area reportedly knew the woman for her regular dog-walking routine, and several have expressed concern and shock over the violent incident. “It’s scary seeing that a lot of people do come around this area where there are families,” said one resident. “You might think they’re just homeless people but you don’t know their psychological or mental health so it’s a very scary thing.”
Davis is currently being held without bail, and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department is continuing to investigate the case. The official cause of the victim’s death will be established by the L.A. County Department of Medical Examiner.