Three women — ages 80, 73 and 62 — were hospitalized following an alleged attack at an independent living facility in Spring Valley, where a 62-year-old man who lived alongside them now faces charges including attempted murder and elder abuse. Deputies were sent to the 8100 block of Cacus Street shortly before 5 p.m. on Sunday, and the Sheriff's Elder Abuse Unit is investigating.
The call that brought deputies to the scene came in as an assault with a deadly weapon, according to Newsradio 600 KOGO. The San Diego County Sheriff's Department says its Elder Abuse Unit is investigating, per the San Diego County Sheriff's Department. All four people involved — the suspect and the three injured women — lived at the same independent living facility in Spring Valley.
Gregory Wilkerson was arrested and booked on two counts of attempted murder and two counts of elder abuse, the sheriff's report states. The report does not identify which victims the elder-abuse charges concern. California Penal Code Section 368 defines elder abuse as physical or emotional abuse, endangerment or financial exploitation inflicted on people 65 or older, per Shouse Law Group.
Suspect Was Already Out on Bail
Charges and Investigation California Penal Code Section 12022.1 applies when someone commits a new felony while released on bail or on their own recognizance for an earlier felony charge. Under state law, a conviction on both the original and new felony can trigger a mandatory sentencing enhancement of two additional consecutive years in state prison, according to Eisner Gorin LLP.
The available accounts do not identify an earlier felony. Also unclear at this point are the specific weapon or means used in the alleged assault and the current medical condition of the three hospitalized victims.
What 'Independent Living' Means Under State Law
The setting of the alleged attack carries its own legal wrinkle. Independent living facilities in California are generally unlicensed residential developments, distinct from assisted living facilities or Residential Care Facilities for the Elderly that are regulated by the California Department of Social Services. In independent living arrangements, residents live on their own without daily medical care or non-medical supervision from staff, according to Berman & Riedel, LLP. That distinction means residents like the three women involved in this incident were not under the kind of oversight found at a licensed senior care facility.
The 8100 block of Cacus Street sits in Spring Valley. The sheriff's department's facility records list the Rancho San Diego Sheriff's Station.
Investigators Seek Public's Help
The Sheriff's Elder Abuse Unit is investigating the incident.
Cases involving harm to older adults are far from rare in San Diego County. Adult Protective Services in the county fielded more than 24,000 reports of suspected abuse or neglect involving elderly or dependent adults during fiscal year 2022–2023, according to previous Hoodline reporting on elder safety trends in the region. The Spring Valley case remains under active investigation as detectives continue piecing together what led to the alleged attack among neighbors living in the same complex.
