Trevor Belmont, 49, has been arrested and charged with murder after allegedly pushing 74-year-old Corazon Dandan into the path of an oncoming train at the BART Powell Street Station on Monday night.
San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins announced the charges on Wednesday, describing the incident as “tragic and truly shocking.”
According to reports, Dandan, a Filipino immigrant and long-time employee at the Westin St. Francis Hotel, was waiting for her train home when Belmont allegedly attacked her without provocation.
She sustained fatal injuries after hitting her head on the train and falling onto the platform. Paramedics rushed her to San Francisco General Hospital, where she tragically succumbed to her injuries.
Belmont faces one count of murder and an additional charge of causing great bodily injury to a vulnerable victim.
The district attorney’s office is seeking to detain him pending trial, citing the public safety risk he poses.
“Trevor Belmont’s unprovoked attack on Corazon Dandan, a beloved member of our community, underscores the vulnerability of our most at-risk citizens,” said District Attorney Jenkins in a statement. “Such senseless violence will not be tolerated.”
Belmont is scheduled to be arraigned on Friday afternoon.
BART police, who swiftly apprehended Belmont after the incident, noted that this is the first murder case on the transit system this year and are still investigating the motive behind the attack.
Dandan, known for her independence and generosity, had worked at the Westin St. Francis for over four decades and was planning her retirement in the Philippines.
Her family and colleagues remember her as a pillar of strength and kindness.
“We are devastated by the loss of Corazon Dandan, who was not only a dedicated employee but a cherished member of our hotel family,” said Clif Clark, general manager of the Westin St. Francis.
The case has sparked renewed concern over public safety and the treatment of vulnerable individuals in San Francisco, prompting calls for greater security measures at transit stations.
