Redwood City Man Pleads No Contest to Attempted Murder on Halloween

By Bay City News, image via Shutterstock

A Redwood City man who attacked his girlfriend’s 17-year-old sister and an elderly neighbor last Halloween pleaded no contest Monday to attempted murder charges, according to San Mateo County prosecutors.

Kelson Aweau, 22, pleaded no contest to two counts of attempted murder with enhancements for infliction of great bodily injury and for having a prior strike, according to prosecutors. He entered the plea on condition of an agreed-upon sentence of 17 years and four months in state prison, and will return to court on Aug. 26 for sentencing.

Aweau had attended the San Francisco Giants’ victory parade in San Francisco earlier on Oct. 31 with his girlfriend and had been drinking throughout the day, according to District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe. The pair had returned to the girlfriend’s home in Redwood City, where she lived with her parents and 17-year-old sister, and his girlfriend had gone to sleep in her bedroom.

The motive for the attack remains unclear, Wagstaffe said. Around 10:30 p.m., Aweau attacked the sister in the front yard of the home, striking her in the head and body with a weapon of some sort, possibly a hammer or knife.

Wagstaffe said the weapon was never recovered. The girl suffered cuts all over her body, including a severe one on her face. Her jaw was broken and she suffered a serious head wound that caused bleeding in the brain and required more than 30 staples to close, according to Wagstaffe.

A 74-year-old neighbor heard the attack and attempted to help the girl, but Aweau also struck him in the head, leaving a large cut on his forehead.

Aweau fled the scene, but returned the next day and was arrested. His defense attorney Ross Green was not immediately available today for comment on the case.