Legal proceedings have been halted for 32-year-old Anila Baby, who is accused of killing two close friends in late August in separate incidents within San Jose and Milpitas. Baby will now undergo evaluation by psychiatrists in Santa Clara County to determine if she is mentally competent to stand trial and participate in her own defense.
Defense attorney Shawn George stated that based on his in-person conversations with his client, he "has doubts as to my client’s competency to stand trial.” George added that after Baby is evaluated, they will return to court to address the issue based on the evaluators’ reports. Deputy District Attorney Marisa McKeown confirmed that authorities await further evaluation by court-appointed doctors.
Baby is accused of the brutal strangulation and/or bludgeoning of 39-year-old Ann Mary Mathew in Mathew’s San Jose home. Hours later on the same day, August 28, Baby is alleged to have struck 35-year-old Anjana Hari with her car in the parking lot of a Milpitas apartment complex where both women lived. Following the incident in Milpitas, investigators say Baby sped away. Police later found her in a nearby Walgreens parking lot, reportedly covered in blood and appearing incoherent.
Police indicate they possess surveillance evidence linking Baby to both crime scenes. Additionally, evidence suggests attempts were made to clean up and cover up Mathew's murder, including the removal of Mathew's phone from the scene and the deletion of doorbell camera footage during the period when the crime occurred.
The mental health assessment process, conducted under Santa Clara County Superior Court’s protocols, involves multiple interviews and the submission of reports by multiple doctors. This comprehensive evaluation is expected to take several months to complete.
Family members of Anila Baby stated at the time of the incidents that she had recently lost a job and might have been in a depressed state. However, it is suggested that a more serious mental break may have occurred. Deputy District Attorney Marisa McKeown acknowledged the profound impact of the case, stating, "Really, the biggest heartbreak of this case is these families were best friends and want answers as to why someone could do this to their friend. So, I hope we can provide answers as we investigate this case."
All three women involved — Anila Baby, Ann Mary Mathew, and Anjana Hari — were reportedly immigrants from Kerala, located in southern India. All were married, and both victims were mothers. Mathew's husband discovered her body after he learned of Hari's death.