Coroner: Elderly Woman Killed in Random Attack in Pasadena Died From Head Trauma

Coroner’s officials have determined that an elderly Pasadena woman who was killed in a seemingly random attack that also left her husband injured as the couple was out for their morning walk in January died as a result of head injuries sustained during the assault.

Pui Ng Lee, 80, died at a hospital on Jan. 5 following the attack at about 7:45 a.m. on Dec. 29 at Colorado Boulevard and Arroyo Parkway, according to Pasadena police and Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner officials.

After an autopsy and additional forensic testing, an examination determined Lee died from “complications of blunt force head trauma,” coroner’s records show. The death was ruled a homicide.

Oscar Villamil, 43 and described as homeless, was arrested in connection with the fatal beating on Jan. 5, the same day Lee died, officials said. He has since pleaded not guilty to charges of murder and elder abuse and was scheduled to appear in Los Angeles County Superior Court for a hearing on May 6.

Lee and her husband were walking along a sidewalk when Villamil suddenly began to punch and kick the couple “for unknown reason(s) and without provocation,” police said in a written statement. The woman fell to the ground and struck her head on a concrete sidewalk.

Her husband suffered injuries described by police as non-life-threatening.

Villamil was taken into custody after a tipster recognized him on a Metro Gold Line train from a wanted flier circulated by authorities, according to police. He was arrested at the Fillmore Station without a struggle.

A motive in the killing remained a mystery, but it was not being investigated as a hate crime, Pasadena police Lt. William Grisafe said.

“There’s nothing to indicate it was a race-related attack,” he said.

The suspect had two pending battery charges at the time of his arrest, as well as previous convictions for battery committed by an inmate on a non-inmate; vandalism; assault of a custody official by “gassing,” a term used to describe assaulting jail staff with bodily fluids; assault; battery on a peace officer; assault with a deadly weapon; annoying or molesting a child; two counts of battery; child endangerment; solicitation to commit a lewd act in public; and DUI, records show.

Villamil was being held in lieu of $2 million bail pending legal proceedings.

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