A Pasadena man was sentenced Monday to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the gruesome murder of a 76-year-old woman whose body was found in her Altadena backyard. The man had been carrying out construction work on her house.
Heber Enoc Diaz, 33, was convicted of what the judge called a “brutal, heinous, violent attack” against Chyong Jen Tsai.
Diaz’s conviction didn’t just include first-degree murder charges for the crime of April 9, 2019 but also for charges of murder during the commission of a robbery or attempted theft and murder during the commission of a burglary or attempted burglary due to special circumstances.
It was alleged, among other things, that he personally used a box cutter, a drywall saw and a hammer to commit the crime.
In an emotional statement in court Monday, one of the victim’s daughters, Nancy Tsai, said her mother “saved every penny” and “lived a frugal life” to move forward with the construction project.
She noted that her mother served breakfast to the construction crew every day. She said Diaz “stole my mother’s dream to live her life” in her home and “destroyed our family.”
Diaz was convicted of first-degree murder on November 7. Deputy District Attorney Miriam Avalos told jurors during the trial that the woman had been stabbed multiple times, her throat was slit twice and she had injuries consistent with being hit by a hammer and choked.
The prosecutor told the jury that Diaz had also been involved in another burglary at the property about three weeks earlier while he was still working there.
Diaz’s lawyer countered that his client only returned to the building where he had been working “with the intention of stealing tools.”
The prosecutor questioned why Diaz would ride his bike to the house if he was stealing heavy tools, saying the only reason would be if he stole Tsai’s Lexus. After the crime, her vehicle was found about three miles from where Diaz lived.
Diaz, who was linked to the murder through cellphone records and DNA evidence, was arrested 10 days later by Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies. He has been behind bars ever since.
