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Sylmar Man Allegedly Beats Ex-Girlfriend, Kills Her Mother

SYLMAR (CBSLA.com) —A 25-year-old man allegedly severely beat his ex-girlfriend and then killed her mother in Sylmar Tuesday.

The incident happened around 4 p.m. at a horse boarding stable in the 13300 block of Borden Avenue.

Police said witnesses saw Juan Carlos Cardenas driving erratically around the property in front of two women, later identified to be his former girlfriend and her mother, 61-year-old Rosa Figueroa.

Rosa Figueroa
(credit: CA DMV)

Cardenas then got out of his vehicle and reportedly beat the older woman with a pipe.

A witness described "Cardenas striking Figueroa then chasing her daughter over the fence," Los Angeles police said in a statement.

Figueroa died at the scene.

Her 24-year-old daughter was transported to a local hospital after suffering massive facial fractures.

"She has a 2-month-old son in common with Cardenas," authorities said.

An investigation revealed that Cardenas' own family was living in fear of him due to recent erratic, violent behavior caused by regular methamphetamine use.

Figueroa also had a restraining order against him after he recently kicked in her apartment door.

"The irony of this tragedy is that Figueroa and her daughter were trying to help Cardenas to a hospital when this fatal rampage occurred," Lt. Paul Vernon said.

Police are investigating the motive of the attack.

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