Previously: Man Accused Of Murdering Resident Of Convalescent Home Where He Worked Identified
A San Francisco convalescent home employee suspected of smothering an 87-year-old woman with a pillow on Monday was charged with murder today.
The San Francisco District Attorney’s Office charged Maximo Fajardo Jr., 32, of San Francisco, with murder with the special allegation of using a dangerous or deadly weapon–the pillow, district attorney’s office spokesman Brian Buckelew said.
Fajardo was an employee at Convalescent Center Mission Street in the city’s Outer Mission neighborhood. Monday was the first time he was allowed to spend time with residents unsupervised, Buckelew said.
Fajardo is also charged with felony elder abuse, two counts of felony carjacking and one count of attempted felony carjacking, Buckelew said. In addition, he faces three misdemeanor counts: hit-and-run causing property damage, hit-and-run causing injury, and escape.
Buckelew said the escape charge stems from Fajardo’s alleged attempt to flee from an interrogation room after being questioned by a homicide inspector and a CSI officer. Fajardo was taken to the ground but no one was injured during the scuffle.
The medical examiner’s office is still trying to locate the murder victim’s family and has not yet released her name.
Staff at the convalescent center at 5767 Mission St. reported the crime at 10:24 a.m. Monday.
Fajardo had fled on foot by the time officers arrived, but then carjacked a Toyota Camry on Alemany Boulevard, police said. The Camry then collided with a Nissan Pathfinder at the intersection of 16th and De Haro streets in the Potrero Hill neighborhood.
Fajardo exited the Camry and allegedly tried to carjack another sport-utility vehicle but was unsuccessful and took off down the street.
Two members of a gym at the intersection saw the crash and were able to chase Fajardo down and hold him until police arrived, the gym’s owner said Monday.
Fajardo is scheduled to be arraigned in San Francisco Superior Court Wednesday morning, Buckelew said.
