Crime & Safety
Murder Charge Filed In Concord Purse Snatching After Victim Dies
Contra Costa County prosecutors also charged Otto Halafihi, 29, with elder abuse in the robbery of a 93-year-old woman who later died.
CONCORD, CA — A man accused of injuring a 93-year-old woman who later died after being knocked to the ground during a purse-snatching robbery has been formally charged with murder and elder abuse resulting in death, according to Contra Costa County prosecutors. The robbery was reported around 4 p.m. May 18 in the 1000 block of Sun Valley Boulevard in Concord, according to the Concord Police Department.
Two women, ages 64 and 93, had allegedly been robbed - and the 93-year-old had to be transported to a hospital due to injuries she suffered when she was knocked down in the robbery. She later died, and has been
identified as Concord resident Ann Peterson, prosecutors said.
Concord police distributed images from security footage in the area around the robbery and 29-year-old suspect Otto Halafihi turned himself in to law enforcement officers in Stanislaus County May 23.
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A day later he was arrested by the Fremont Police Department on suspicion of robbing a Lowe's Home Improvement store at 43612 Pacific Commons Blvd. in an apparently unrelated offense on May 9.
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Halafihi will return to court with a new lawyer on July 30, at which time prosecutors will seek to have his bail increased from $340,000, which is based on the previous charges, to $1.34 million on account of the
homicide, according to district attorney spokesman Scott Alonso.
Defense attorney Christopher Dobbins says his client made statements to the media confirming some aspects of the allegations against him after his arrest, which was inadvisable.
"He's already kind of admitted to it, so the real litigation will come down to what caused this lady's death," Dobbins said. "There's not really a question of who did it."
Dobbins said he plans to argue for the lesser charge of involuntary manslaughter when his client goes to trial.
By Bay City News Service
Photos courtesy Concord Police Department
