A man was convicted of capital murder last week in connection to the brutal 2019 killing of an elderly woman who previously employed him as a construction worker, prosecutors said.
Heber Enoc Diaz, 33 of Pasadena, was hired to work at the Arcadia home of 76-year-old Chyong Jen Tsai in 2019.
In March of that year, while employed by Tsai, he committed a burglary at the home, prosecutors say. The next month, he was no longer working there, but he returned to the home to commit another burglary.
That’s when he was confronted by Tsai in the house’s garage. He allegedly used a hammer, jab saw and a box cutter to kill the woman on April 9, 2019, authorities said. Her body was found in the house’s yard.
Tsai’s white 2005 Lexus RX 300 was also stolen that day. Her husband was out of the country at the time of her death.
Diaz was arrested on suspicion of the killing 10 days later.
“Chyong Jen Tsai was killed during a burglary of her own home — a place where she should have been safe and secure,” Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón said. “This crime is particularly heartbreaking as Ms. Tsai was simply at home when she encountered an intruder. Our sincere condolences go out to Ms. Tsai’s family, who have endured unimaginable loss. We understand that nothing can truly fill the void left by her absence, but we hope that the guilty verdicts brings a measure of justice and peace.”
On Nov. 7, he was convicted by a jury on the following charges:
- one count of murder with special circumstance allegations that the crime was committed during a robbery and a burglary
- two felony counts of second-degree burglary
- one felony count each of first-degree residential burglary, second-degree robbery and elder abuse
The jury also found the special circumstances allegations true for first-degree murder and causing great bodily injury to a victim over age 70, using deadly and dangerous weapons.
Diaz now awaits his sentencing hearing, set for Dec. 16. He faces the possibility of life in prison without parole.