Two young men from San Diego, California, aged 19 and 18, appeared in court for allegedly employing a pellet gun in the fatal shooting of a homeless woman.
The victim, 68-year-old Annette Pershal a/k/a “Granny Annie,” was asleep when the attack occurred on May 8.
William Innes, 18, had texted Ryan Hopkins, 19, a short time prior to the incident. The text said, “I want to go hobo hunting with a pellet gun.”
The duo drove to the homeless encampment in the Serra Mesa neighborhood where Pershal was staying, using the pellet gun with metal bullets to strike her five times. The attack, which hit a major artery, resulted in Pershal suffering from multiple strokes and internal bleeding, leading to her eventual death.
Deputy District Attorney Roza Egiazarian characterized the incident as a “callous, conscious disregard for life.” Despite losing her home in 2017, Pershal had chosen to stay in her neighborhood and was well-known for her help to fellow struggling community members, as recalled by her grieving daughter Brandy Nazworth, who had asked her mother to move in with her several times.
A memorial site near the encampment, where Pershal had been living, stands as a tribute to her impact, with local residents creating a makeshift memorial and displaying a sign that reads: “Queen of Serra Mesa Granny Annie will live on. RIP 1955-2023.”
Prosecutors alleged that Innes texted a group of at least 150 teens, including Hopkins, about the activity. Innes, who is believed to have fired the pellet gun, is facing a murder charge, while Hopkins, accused of driving Innes to the scene, is charged with assault with a deadly weapon. Both young men have pleaded not guilty to the charges. They have been denied bail.
Innes faces a sentence of 25 years to life and Hopkins faces three years in prison.
