Prosecutors charged two men, including the victim’s grandson, on Wednesday murder and burglary of the home of a 75-year-old South Pasadena woman in June.
Bikramjot Singh Padda, 28, and Josh Edward Atkins, 44, were both charged with first-degree murder and burglary, with one person present Wednesday for the incident that occurred June 4 at a home in the 800 block of Brent Avenue, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office.
Prosecutors say Padda, the victim’s grandson, and Atkins killed Susan Miller in her home around 3:30 that morning by stabbing her multiple times in the upper body.
Officers were called to the scene around 8:45 p.m. that evening. At that point, she was already dead, prosecutors said. Her body was reportedly discovered by her grandchildren when they went to check on her welfare.
The indictment alleges that Atkins personally used a knife to commit the crime, and that a person other than the alleged accomplice was also present during the burglary.
Jail records show Padda was initially held by investigators but was released two days later without charges being filed. He was arrested again on Saturday.
Atkins was arrested Nov. 12 in the Santa Clarita Valley, jail records show. Both are being held on nearly $2 million bail. They will be arraigned on December 19 in downtown Los Angeles.
“Our hearts are with the loved ones of Ms. Susan Miller as they continue to deal with this senseless violence and loss,” District Attorney George Gascón said in a statement. “The loss is made even more painful by the fact that one of the suspects involved is the victim’s grandson.”
