P. v. Varmall CA3
In February 2015, defendant Timothy Varmall admitted to stabbing an acquaintance, Smurti Patel, to death. Defendant met Patel, who had a substance abuse problem and was often homeless, at a Sacramento homeless shelter. Although they did not have a romantic relationship, defendant began to develop feelings for Patel. When defendant told Patel how he felt, she said she was getting back together with a former boyfriend. Defendant was enraged.
Defendant began plotting to kill Patel for rejecting him. In September 2014, he purchased a knife for the purpose of killing her. He carried the knife with him at all times in case an opportunity arose to kill her. On several occasions, defendant saw Patel and pretended to be nice to her so he could gather information on where she was living and the routes she took home.
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