A 16-year-old boy was in custody Wednesday on suspicion of fatally stabbing a woman in her West Hills home, police said.
The woman's body was discovered around 4:35 p.m. Tuesday in the 7100 block of Shadow Ridge Court, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.
The victim was identified as 53-year-old Connie Cajulis. Cajulis was found suffering from multiple stab wounds, according to the LAPD.
Police said they believed the victim and the attacker knew each other.
The suspected attacker was found after he allegedly stole the victim's car and crashed a short distance away from her home, according to the LAPD.
The attacker was in stable condition at a hospital while in police custody.
Cajulis was a beloved booster for the Calabasas High School athletics program, and the school community was mourning her death Wednesday.
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"We lost a mother," said Lauren Young, an assistant principal at the school. "We just lost a phenomenal lady."
Cajulis was remembered as the kind of booster mom who worked tirelessly, often with little recognition. She would sometimes stay until midnight, operating the snack bar at home games and making sure athletes had their dinner and equipment.
Young said it is as a friend that she will miss Cajulis most.
"She was the person that was here at campus almost every day, and always had something witty to say, and always made me laugh."
The 16-year-old accused attacker is believed to be a student enrolled in the district, and knew Cajulis. They say robbery was not a motive in the attack.
