Elderly woman critical, grandson, 41, charged with attempted murder

MENIFEE, Calif. — Authorities say an elderly Menifee woman remains hospitalized in critical condition and that her 41-year-old grandson was arrested and charged with her attempted murder Friday afternoon, Sept. 18.

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City of Menifee police officers, along with Cal Fire-Riverside fire and paramedics were dispatched to a private residence in the 26000 block of Ridgemoor Dr. around 1:30 p.m., after receiving reports of an assault involving an elderly female, Menifee Police Captain David Gutierrez has since said of the brutal attack and arrest.

The 911 caller told emergency dispatchers that her elderly neighbor had walked to their house pleading for help; saying she had been attacked by her grandson, since identified as Andrew Joseph.

When officials arrived they found the victim suffering from facial injuries consistent with being assaulted, according to Gutierrez; who added that Joseph had fled the scene prior to officers’ arrival.

The victim, whose name has not been released, was transported by ground ambulance to a nearby hospital for treatment where she was listed in critical condition. 

Menifee detectives and crime scene investigators responded to the home and assumed the investigation; learning Joseph lived at the residence with the victim and her elderly husband.

As the investigation was getting underway, a family member told officers that Joseph had fled to Hemet, where he was with another family member at a home on San Bernardo Ave., southeast of Kirby St. and W. Oakland Ave.

“While preparing to respond to Hemet, the Hemet Police Department notified us they had Mr. Joseph in custody,” said Gutierrez; adding, “He was taken into custody without incident.”

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A subsequent search warrant served at the victim’s residence uncovered evidence of a violent altercation, according to Gutierrez.

Based on their investigation, officers arrested Joseph and he was booked into Cois Byrd Detention Center in Murrieta on suspicion of attempted murder. Online jail records indicate he remains in custody in lieu of $1 million bail or bond and is scheduled to be arraigned at Murrieta’s Southwest Justice Center on Sept. 23.

“On behalf of Chief Pat Walsh, we would like to extend our thoughts and prayers to the victim and her family,” Gutierrez said; adding, “We would also like to thank Hemet PD for their assistance with this investigation.”


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Contact the writer: [email protected]

Trevor Montgomery, 49, moved in 2017 to the Intermountain area of Shasta County from Riverside County and runs Riverside County News Source and Shasta County News Source. Additionally, he writes or has written for several other news organizations; including Riverside County based newspapers, Valley News, (the now defunct) Valley Chronicle, Anza Valley Outlook, and Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle; as well as Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County and Mountain Echo in Shasta County.

Trevor spent 10 years in the U.S. Army as an Orthopedic Specialist before joining the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department in 1998. He was medically retired after losing his leg, breaking his back, and suffering both spinal cord and brain injuries in an off-duty accident. (Click here to see segment of Discovery Channel documentary of Trevor’s accident.)

During his time with the sheriff’s department, Trevor worked at several different stations; including Robert Presley Detention Center, Southwest Station in Temecula, Hemet/Valle Vista Station, Ben Clark Public Safety Training Center, and Lake Elsinore Station; along with other locations.

Trevor’s assignments included Corrections, Patrol, DUI Enforcement, Boat and Personal Water-Craft based Lake Patrol, Off-Road Vehicle Enforcement, Problem Oriented Policing Team, and Personnel/Background Investigations. He finished his career while working as a Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Investigator and was a court-designated expert in child abuse and child sex-related crimes.

Trevor has been married for more than 30 years and was a foster parent to more than 60 children over 13 years. He is now an adoptive parent and his “fluid family” includes 13 children and 18 grandchildren.

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