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BURBANK, Calif. () — A suspect charged with murder after a Burbank elementary school teacher was killed and her daughter was injured in a stabbing attack inside a home has pleaded not guilty, authorities announced Thursday.
Sergio Fraire was charged with one felony count of murder with a special circumstance of lying in wait, one felony count of attempted murder and one felony count of first-degree residential burglary. He is being held without bail.
According to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, it is further alleged that Fraire “personally used a deadly weapon, a knife, in the commission of the murder and attempted murder and personally inflicted great bodily injury upon the attempted murder victim.”
Details on Burbank deadly stabbing attack
Two women were found stabbed in a home on North Brighton Street on Monday morning. Arti Varma, 59, died from her injuries, while her daughter remains hospitalized in stable condition.
More than 12 hours later, Fraire was taken into custody after a search warrant was served around 10 p.m. at a home in the city on East Palm Avenue, where he was believed to be staying. Police say evidence related to the stabbing was recovered.
“There was evidence found within Mr. Fraire’s house that was linking him to the crime that happened yesterday,” a Burbank police officer told Eyewitness News.
Fraire was booked for murder and attempted murder, though a motive in the deadly attack has not been determined.
Surveillance video captured Fraire being walked out of the apartment building in handcuffs. Another video shows police arriving in armored trucks to make the arrest.
Police have not released the name of the daughter, but neighbor Victor Goli identified her as 25-year-old Meera Varma.
Arti was a first-grade teacher at Bret Harte Elementary School in the Burbank Unified School District. She is the second teacher at the school to be killed in the last two years.
“This news is heartbreaking. Our deepest condolences are with Ms. Varma’s students, colleagues, friends, and loved ones, and with all members of the Bret Harte community who may be struggling with this loss. Words cannot fully express the sorrow we feel or the care we hold for those who are grieving,” Interim Superintendent Dr. Oscar Macias wrote in a statement.
Counseling and mental health support services will be available for students and staff who may need them.
“She was one of the best teachers I had. Pretty sad, because every day in the morning, I always say hi to her,” one of Arti’s first-grade students said.
“My daughter, yesterday, she mentioned that her teacher wasn’t in. And it was unlike her because she would always message the parents if something was going to happen, if she wasn’t going ot be in class,” said Tracy Bucasas, a parent of one of Arti’s students.
“I cried a lot. Because I’m just like, why’d you do that? For a first-grade teacher, too,” said student Emily Gomez.
Varma’s daughter, Meera, is a nationally known mental health activist who has worked alongside well-known figures, including Oprah Winfrey, former President Joe Biden, former First Lady Jill Biden and former Vice President Kamala Harris.
Friends said Arti loved to celebrate her culture and decorated her home for Diwali.
Neighbors said the attack has been difficult to process and wonder who would attack the mother and daughter.
“‘Stop right now. Stop right now.’ That’s what I heard, and I came outside, and then I saw all my neighbors out there,” said a neighbor who witnessed police surrounding the suspect and arresting him. “It’s unthinkable. I can’t even imagine. I’m speechless.”
Victor Goli, a family friend of the victims, says it was gut-wrenching to break the news to Arti’s husband, who was in India at the time.
“He couldn’t even speak, right? He was hysterical. He was crying. It was insane,” Goli said.
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