Woman Kills Grandmother With Her Bare Hands

Sarah Montoya (LASD via KTLA)
LASD via KTLA
Adelle Nazarian

A 24-year-old woman “snapped” and strangled her 64-year-old grandmother — by whom she was raised, and with whom she lived on-and-off as an adult — to death with her bare hands.

According to local ABC News affiliate ABC 7, Paula Montoya’s lifeless body was found in the bathroom of her Bell, California home, wrapped in plastic and a blanket, during a welfare check that was requested by her family on July 21.

The cause of her death was strangulation (asphyxiation by compression to the neck) but she had also reportedly suffered a contusion to the head and broken ribs.

Investigators believe she was killed three days prior to the discovery of her body.

Her granddaughter, Sarah Montoya, was reportedly arrested on Monday and booked on one count of murder. KTLA notes that her death was ruled a homicide after investigators received the autopsy results.

She had fled to Mexico with her four children. Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department Lt. Mike Rosson told ABC 7 that “[t]he Mexican authorities detained Sarah and the four children at the Otay Mesa crossing. After some paperwork, she was actually turned over to U.S. Marshals office with the children.”

Her children are reportedly staying with her mom. According to KTLA, Sarah Montoya had a “very minimal” criminal history that involved minor offenses.

Montoya was being held on $2 million bail, according to jail records.

Paula Montoya reportedly had six children, was a great-grandmother to four of her children and an active member in her local church.
What caused Sarah Montoya to “snap” is reportedly still under investigation.

Follow Adelle Nazarian on Twitter @AdelleNaz

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