UPDATE: Sacramento teen charged in brutal attacks on elderly women shows no emotion in court

Neven Glen Nayeko Butler, an 18-year-old North Highlands resident, was formally charged last week following a brutal crime spree that led to the death of 86-year-old Fusako Petrus.

Butler was arraigned on May 1 on one count of murder, one count of felony assault with the intent to commit rape, four counts of felony assault with great bodily injury, and one felony count of elder abuse. He is ineligible for bail and is next due in court on June 8.

Local news station CBS Sacramento reported Butler “showed no emotion” during his court appearance.  Butler’s defense attorney, Linda Parisi, says her client is in protective custody and is in a “serious” mental state, reported CBS Sacramento.

According to a press release issued by the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department, on April 26, 2017, shortly after 6:00 am, the Sheriff’s Communication Center received a 911 call advising two females were being physically assaulted near the track at Highlands High School.

Deputies responded to the scene and located two female victims, one of whom was Petrus, who was unresponsive.  Deputies immediately began life-saving measures, however, when Sacramento Metro Fire responded Petrus was pronounced dead. The second female victim was 61-years-old old and was medically treated at the scene.

Reportedly, Petrus and the 61-year-old unnamed victim were walking on the track for morning exercise, as they frequently did. The 5’8” 180-pound Butler attacked the 61-year-old woman first, and when Petrus heard the commotion she came to her friend’s defense, attaching the ex-football player, Butler, with her walking stick.

Butler then turned his attack to Petrus. Butler sexually assaulted both women and beat Petrus so severely that she succumbed to her injuries and died at the scene. Butler then fled the area on foot and was arrested later the same day following another unprovoked assault on a 92-year-old woman.

When deputies arrived on scene Butler was still there and was arrested without incident and booked into the Sacramento County Main Jail on felony assault and elder abuse charges. It wasn’t until further investigation that authorities connected Butler to the earlier sexual assaults and beatings.

[Feature Photo: Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department]