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California woman charged with homicide, violent attacks

September 19, 2018 GMT

In this undated photo released by the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office is Sydney Megan Whalen. Northern California investigators have tied Whalen, 24, to a homicide and the stabbing of a sportswriter during a two-week period in 2017. The San Jose Mercury News reported Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2018, that the suspect is being held in Santa Cruz County's jail on suspicion of assault and robbery for a third violent incident during those two weeks. (Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office via AP)

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (AP) — Northern California investigators have tied a 24-year-woman to a homicide and the stabbing of a sportswriter during a two-week period in 2017.

The San Jose Mercury News reported Tuesday that the suspect is being held in the Santa Cruz County Jail on suspicion of assault and robbery for a third violent incident during those two weeks.

The Santa Clara County district attorney’s office said Sydney Whalen has been charged with attempted murder for July 21, 2017 robbing and stabbing of Bay Area News Group hockey writer Paul Gackle. There is no evidence he was attacked because of his profession.

Whalen is also charged in Alameda County with robbing and beating to death a 44-year-old father of four in a Motel 6.

Jail records don’t indicate if she has a lawyer.

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Information from: San Jose (Calif.) Mercury News, http://www.mercurynews.com