Kerala women killed in Milpitas: Bodies likely released Sep 3, says Suresh Gopi
Synopsis
Two Kerala women — Anjana, 35, and Ann Mary Mathew, 40 — were killed in Milpitas, California on 28 August. Their bodies are expected to be released on 3 September after autopsy, with a friend, Anila, 32, already in custody. The motive remains unestablished, and the case has shaken the Malayali community in the US.
Key Takeaways
Anjana (35, Thrissur) and Ann Mary Mathew (40, Thiruvananthapuram) were killed in Milpitas, California on 28 August .
Bodies are expected to be released on 3 September following autopsy completion, per Union Minister Suresh Gopi .
After release, registered funeral homes need an additional one to two days before consular paperwork can be completed.
Anila , 32, a friend and fellow resident of the same apartment complex, has been taken into custody by Milpitas police .
The motive for the killings has not yet been established by investigators.
Both Suresh Gopi and Kerala CM V.D.
Satheesan are in contact with the families and monitoring repatriation efforts.
The bodies of two Kerala women killed in Milpitas, California, are likely to be released on 3 September after autopsy formalities are completed, Union Minister of State for Tourism Suresh Gopi said on 1 September, as repatriation efforts entered their final stages.
Where the Process Stands
According to Suresh Gopi, the coroner's office conveyed to priest Thomas Kora and the families of the deceased that the autopsy was expected to be completed by Thursday, 3 September. Once released, the bodies will be handed over to registered funeral homes, which are expected to take an additional one to two days to complete their procedures.
'Once that is done, the Consulate will complete the paperwork,' Gopi said, adding that he was maintaining regular contact with the Consul General of India in the US to ensure the remains were brought back to Kerala at the earliest.
The Victims and What Happened
Anjana, 35, a native of Thrissur and a school teacher, and Ann Mary Mathew, 40, a native of Kesavadasapuram in Thiruvananthapuram who worked as a computer teacher, were killed in Milpitas on 28 August. Anjana was reportedly run over by a blue SUV in the parking area of the Mill Creek apartment complex, while Ann Mary was found stabbed to death inside an apartment.
Anjana is survived by her husband Vijeesh, a software engineer, and their six-year-old daughter. Ann Mary was the wife of Jacob, a native of Chingavanam, and the couple has two daughters.
Suspect in Custody
Anila, 32, a native of Moonnilavu in Kottayam and a friend of the two women, has been taken into custody by Milpitas police in connection with the killings. The motive has not yet been established, according to investigators.
All three women were reportedly close friends who lived in the same apartment complex with their families. The killings have sent shockwaves through the Malayali community in the US — notably, the families had celebrated Onam together and watched a film just a day before the tragedy.
Government Response
Suresh Gopi and Kerala Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan have both spoken to the relatives of the two women and are monitoring developments closely. The immediate priority, officials say, is the release of the bodies and completion of consular formalities for their repatriation to Kerala.
Point of View
Yet repatriation is still days away as of 1 September. For grieving families in Kerala, the bureaucratic sequencing of autopsies, funeral homes, and consular paperwork compounds an already devastating loss. The fact that both a Union Minister and a Chief Minister are personally monitoring the case reflects the political sensitivity of Indian deaths abroad, but it also raises a structural question: should India have a faster-track consular protocol for citizen fatalities in countries with which it has strong bilateral ties? The motive remaining unestablished — with a close friend in custody — adds a layer of tragedy that mainstream coverage has underplayed.
NationPress
1 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who were the two Kerala women killed in Milpitas, California?
They were Anjana, 35, a school teacher from Thrissur, and Ann Mary Mathew, 40, a computer teacher from Kesavadasapuram in Thiruvananthapuram. Both were killed in Milpitas on 28 August and lived in the Mill Creek apartment complex with their families.
When will the bodies of the Kerala women be repatriated to India?
The bodies are expected to be released by the coroner's office on 3 September after autopsy completion. Registered funeral homes will then need one to two days to complete their procedures, after which the Indian Consulate will finalise the paperwork for repatriation.
Who is the suspect in the Milpitas killings?
Anila, 32, a native of Moonnilavu in Kottayam and a close friend of both victims, has been taken into custody by Milpitas police in connection with the killings. The motive has not yet been established by investigators.
What is the Indian government doing about the Milpitas deaths?
Union Minister of State for Tourism Suresh Gopi is in regular contact with the Consul General of India in the US to expedite repatriation. Kerala Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan has also spoken with the families and is monitoring developments.
How did the two women die in Milpitas?
Anjana was reportedly run over by a blue SUV in the parking area of the Mill Creek apartment complex, while Ann Mary Mathew was found stabbed to death inside an apartment. Both deaths occurred on 28 August.
