Two women from Kerala were allegedly killed in two California incidents, with relatives assuming that a close friend was behind the deaths. The woman, Anila, a native of Kottayam, has been taken into US police custody as investigators investigate the deaths.
The three victims were Anjana, a native of Mudikkode in Thrissur, and Ann Mathew from Kesavadasapuram in Thiruvananthapuram. The relatives said all three women were friends and were living in the same apartment along with their families.
Two Malayali women were killed in California, United States, allegedly by another Malayali woman who was their friend and lived in the same apartment complex, according to their relatives. An investigation is underway.
— Hate Detector 🔍 (@HateDetectors) August 31, 2026
One of the victims was identified as 35-year-old Anjana from… pic.twitter.com/oAPKHTz3Df
Two Women Were Allegedly Murdered In Separate Incidents.
According to information received by Anjana’s family from the US, the two women were allegedly killed in separate incidents. According to PTI, Anila allegedly stabbed Ann inside her apartment before calling Anjana downstairs.
Anila then rammed a car into Anjana and fled the scene without stopping, according to one relative who spoke to the news agency. The allegations have not been independently confirmed, and police are still investigating the deaths.
Anjana’s family had different information about what had happened to her. A relative said her family in Thrissur was informed on Saturday that she had been seriously injured in an accident and was receiving treatment at a hospital.
The family later learned that Anjana had died. The circumstances of her death subsequently led relatives to link her death to that of Ann, who was found stabbed in the apartment.
Ann’s husband found her dead.
After learning about the incident involving Anjana, her husband Vijeesh contacted their mutual friend Jacob, who was Ann's husband, and told him about what happened.
Jacob rushed to the apartment. According to relatives, he entered the room and found Ann stabbed to death.
The families of the two victims said the three women were friends. That’s a factor and has been a focus for investigators as they probe what could have led to the alleged killings.
So far, the motive is unclear. Police are investigating, and there is no clear reason why the alleged attacks occurred or what led to the two women’s deaths.
And the fact that the three women were friends and lived in the same apartment has added to the questions surrounding the case. But relatives’ allegations will have to be investigated by US authorities as part of the investigation.
Anjana leaves behind her husband and daughter.
Anjana had moved to the United States in 2021. She is survived by her husband and their six-year-old daughter, her family said.
Her husband is in shock after her death and is now caring for their daughter. The family in Kerala was notified about the incident after the deaths occurred in California.
These deaths have also prompted efforts to bring the women's mortal remains back to Kerala. Union Minister Suresh Gopi said steps are being taken to assist the families with the repatriation process.
Gopi said he spoke to the Consul General at the Indian Consulate in San Francisco on Monday morning. He was told that funeral homes handling the bodies had been directed to complete the documentation needed to send the mortal remains to India.
Repatriation may depend on US investigation.
The timing of repatriation has not yet been announced. Gopi said that the U.S. authorities might retain the bodies as they investigate the deaths.
The minister said the deaths had been officially confirmed as homicides. But he added that the motive and other details would only become clearer after formal reports are received from US authorities by the Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry of Home Affairs and NORKA.
Gopi said he was expecting another update from the Indian Consulate about the case and the process of bringing the mortal remains to India.
Anila remains in US police custody in connection with the deaths. Her detention does not establish guilt, and investigators will have to determine her alleged role through the ongoing probe.
With the motive still unclear, authorities are still trying to piece together what happened to the two women and what led to their deaths. The investigation will continue, and formal reports will be made to Indian authorities once US authorities finish their investigation, officials said.
