Three murder suspects arrested Three murder suspects arrested (December 12, 2003)

No motive yet for fatal beating of elderly woman

By Jon Wiener

Mountain View police have arrested three San Jose men for the murder of 77-year old Doris Condon.

Leonel Cantor, a.k.a. Enrique Chavez, Jose Sosa and David Olayo will be arraigned on Wednesday, after the Voice press time, on charges of murder and burglary. Cantor, 26, and Olayo, 20, also face charges of conspiracy to commit murder, elder abuse and robbery. Sosa, 33, was driving the getaway car and did not enter the house, according to lead investigator Det. Jessica Serb. "We are confident we have arrested all of the suspects associated with this crime," said Serb.

Condon's companion Des Telmond found her on the floor of their house when he returned home on the afternoon of Oct. 25. Two gardeners working on the block originally reported seeing two men flee Condon's Jardin Drive home, but police said they were also investigating the possibility that more people were involved.

Police say they received dozens of tip-line calls before an anonymous tipster led investigators to the suspect.

Cantor was first arrested on Dec. 3 for possession of a stolen vehicle, an unrelated charge. Officials from the Santa Clara County Auto Theft Task Force contacted Mountain View police and turned over the suspect. Mountain View police then arrested Sosa while he was leaving his home two days later. And on Dec. 7, they arrested Olayo at his home.

The anonymous tipster was unrelated to either the suspects or the family of the victim, according to Serb. The tipster was prompted by the sketches in the media, the reward money that was offered and the brutality of the crime. Condon's family members and the Mountain View City Council had offered $20,000 in reward money for information leading to the arrest and prosecution of the perpetrators.

A five-member committee will convene to determine how to divide the reward among the people who provided information to the police. The committee consists of three members of the community, a city council member or a designee, and an officer of the police department.

As the investigation continues, officials remain mum about a possible motive for the crime.

"They did go to the home with a specific intent, but we can not say what that intent was," said Serb. She added that the suspects were familiar with the area, but would not elaborate as to why. Investigators do not believe the crime was gang-related.

There were no visible signs of forced entry at the house. Serb said the suspects entered through an unlocked or open door and spent no more than 10 minutes inside. They allegedly ransacked a few of the rooms in the house and took $1,000 in cash.

According to Serb, one of the suspects physically attacked Condon, a small woman who stands 5 feet 1 inch. He did not use a weapon during the attack. Condon drifted in and out of consciousness before passing away Nov. 28.

"We believe she was protecting herself and her home, and there was nothing else she could do in that situation," said Serb.

Asked what it felt like to complete this phase of the investigation, Serb said, "I don't think it's hit me yet. There's a sense of relief that these people are off the streets, but there's still more work to be done."

E-mail a friend a link to this story.