Hide Transcript Show Transcript

WEBVTT RIENDS.JUST A FEW YARDS FROM THE HIGHSCHOOL TRACK WHERE FUSAKO PETRUSWAS KILLED HER FRIENDS ANDNEIGHBORS GATHERED TO REMEMBERTHE 86-YEAR-OLD.>> NEVER HAD THIS KIND OFSITUATION.IT'S HARD FOR EVERYBODY I THINK.REPORTER: HIROKO ROWE FIRST RANINTO PETRUS ON A MILITARY BASEIN JAPAN AND THEN BECAME FRIENDSIN SACRAMENTO IN THE 1960'S.THEY VISITED EVERY MONTH FORDECADES.>> WE GET TOGETHER, WE TALK ANDWE LIKE TO EAT AND SO WE EATJAPANESE DISHES THAT'S ALL WEDID.>> WAS SHE A GOOD COOK?>> NO.[LAUGHTER]>> SHE DON'T LIKE TO COOK.REPORTER: ROWE SAID SHE WASGRATEFUL SOMEONE WAS CAUGHT.THAT SOMEONE IS 18-YEAR-OLDNEVEN BUTLER, ACCUSED OF KILLINGPETRUS, SEXUALLY ASSAULTINGANOTHER WOMAN ON THE TRACK, ANDATTACKING A THIRD WOMAN, A92-YEAR-OLD AT A SENIOR HOMEACROSS TOWN.SOME TEENS WHO KNOW BUTLER SAIDHE WAS ACTING STRANGE RECENTLY.>> I WAS LIKE, "NEVEN," AND HEWAS JUST -- HE DIDN'T SAYNOTHING TO ME.AND I WAS LIKE, "NEVEN," AND HEWAS JUST STARING OFF INTO SPACELIKE HE WAS ANGRY.HE MUST BE MAD, SO I WAS LIKE,"ALRIGHT, SEE YOU LATER," ANDJUST WALKED OFF.REPORTER: OTHERS SAID BUTLERSTRUGGLED WITH MENTAL HEALTHPROBLEMS.>> EVERYBODY MADE FUN OF HIM ANDALL THAT BUT LIKE NOBODY REALLYWANTED TO HELP HIM.HE HAD LIKE ANGER ISSUES ANDNOBODY REALLY WANTED TO HELPHIM.REPORTER: BACK AT THE VIGILTONIGHT, NEIGHBORS HOPED THESCHOOL WOULD OPEN THE TRACK BACKUP TO THE COMMUNITY, SOMETHINGTHEY SAY PETRUS WOULD'VE WANTED.>> SHE WOULD DEFINITELY WANT THETRACK BACK.

Advertisement 18-year-old arrested in deadly North Highlands attack Share Shares Copy Link Copy

An 18-year-old man was booked on a murder charge in the death of an 86-year-old woman who was attacked while walking with her friend on a North Highlands school track, deputies said Friday. Neven Glen Butler, of North Highlands, was add-booked at the Sacramento County Jail since he was arrested in connection with an unrelated attack on a 92-year-old woman, officers said. Butler was on the varsity football team at Highlands High School during the 2015-16 season, but dropped out of school in December, according to school officials. Butler's football coach told KCRA 3 that he was not a troublemaker, and he's shocked that Butler is accused of such crimes. Fusako Petrus lived in North Highlands and was out for a morning walk Wednesday with her 61-year-old friend when a man, identified as Butler, walked up to the pair and sexually assaulted them and beat them with his hands and feet, Sacramento County sheriff's deputies said. Friends remember 86-year-old woman killed in N. Highlands track attack “The other woman was attacked first, from my understanding," Petrus' family friend, Vicki Butler, said. "He was choking her and Fusako started hitting him with her walking stick, and it allowed her (neighbor) to get away.” Petrus was pronounced dead at the scene, and her friend was taken to a hospital with a variety of injuries to her head, face and torso. She has since been released and is recovering at home. Butler ran from the track toward Walerga Road. Deputies searched the area, but couldn't find him. Butler was arrested several hours later Wednesday afternoon after he assaulted the 92-year-old woman at the Woodside Healthcare Center at 2240 Northrop Avenue in Sacramento, officers said. She suffered facial injuries and was taken to a hospital. Butler was still at the scene when officers arrived and was booked Wednesday on charges of felony assault and elder abuse, officers said. Deputies announced Thursday that Butler was a person of interest in the North Highlands attack. Butler was add-booked for murder and is ineligible for bail. He is scheduled to be arraigned Monday on the North Highlands charges.Near the track, former classmates said on Friday Butler was bullied when he attended the high school and seemed to have anger issues.One friend said he was ill and was never given the help he needed."Neven had problems and everybody made fun of him and all, but nobody really wanted to help him. He had anger issues and nobody really wanted to help him," said Joshua Cannon, a former classmate.Another former classmate said he noticed something peculiar about him last week. "He was just standing there. He was standing there and just like staring off into space like in the driveway," said Isaiah Montgomery. "He was 'hecka' angry. He must be mad so I was like 'Alright. I'll see you later and just walked off.”At a vigil Friday evening, neighbors and longtime friends shared decades of memories with Petrus.Petrus met monthly with friends she met after first moving to North Highlands in the 60's. Her friends said she enjoyed meeting with them, going out to eating and speaking her native language Japanese. Several neighbors hoped to walk the high school track but couldn't because a gate was recently locked following the killing.The neighbors said they hoped the district re-opened the track."She would definitely want the track back," said Lindsey Roush who has known Petrus her whole life. "We should do it for her." Stay with KCRA for updates.