Kamal Ghorui
Meera Varma, a mental health activist who worked with the Joe Biden administration, was injured after a stabbing attack inside a Burbank home in which her mother Meera Varma, a teacher, was killed. The Burbank Police department announced the arrest of 30-year-old Sergio Fraire on suspicion for the murder of 59-year-old Arti Varma and the attempted murder of her 25-year-old daughter. Police have not released the name of the daughter but ABC7 confirmed citing a neighbor that the daughter is Meera Varma who worked with Oprah Winfrey, former President Joe Biden, first lady Jill Biden and former Vice President Kamala Harris.Arti Varma taught first-grade at Bret Harte Elementary School in Burbank.According to Burbank police, officers were called to the 2800 block of North Brighton Street around 6 am on April 20 following a report of two individuals stabbed inside the residence. “Upon arrival, officers located two adult female victims suffering from stab wounds,” the release said. Both of them were taken to the hospital where Arti died.Police said they identified Fraire as a person of interest after conducting a “comprehensive investigation, which included interviewing witnesses, canvassing and collecting and reviewing surveillance video,” according to the release. Fraire was found at a residence in the 500 block of East Palm Avenue in Burbank.“He was taken into custody without incident, and evidence related to the crime was recovered,” according to police.“The relationship, if any, between the suspect and the victims remains under investigation, as does the motive,” the release said.Neighbors said Arti’s husband is currently in India. “He couldn’t even speak right… He was crying,” neighbor Victor Goli said when asked how the husband reacted. “It was kind of a shock to hear just a few minutes ago that their house was broken into,” Goli told Eyewitness News. A neighbor said she shared surveillance video with police showing the suspect leaving the crime scene.
