Man convicted of murder in death of grandmother in Menifee

By Doug Spoon, Editor

A Riverside County jury has delivered a guilty verdict against a man in the murder of his 83-year-old grandmother in her Menifee home in 2020.

It took the jury less than a day of deliberation on Monday to convict Andrew Daniel Joseph, 45, of second-degree murder and cruelty to an elder. The verdict included an enhancement of causing the death of a person 70 years or older, according to John Hall of the District Attorney’s Office.

Riverside County Superior Court Judge Matthew Perantoni set a Jan. 24 court date for sentencing. Joseph, who is being held without bail at the Southwest Justice Center in Murrieta, faces 20 years to life in prison.

Joseph, a previously convicted felon, had been living with his grandfather and step-grandmother, Ethel Mae Hayes, in their Menifee home since his release, according to a trial brief released by the DA’s office. On Sept. 18, 2020, the two were alone in the residence in the 26000 block of Ridgemoor Drive when, during an argument, Joseph attacked Hayes, the trial brief stated.

First responders found the victim on her front porch, suffering from blunt trauma injuries. She died two days later. Menifee Police officers located Joseph at his sister’s home in Hemet and took him into custody.

The investigation indicated that Joseph had slammed Hayes’ face and head into a cabinet and a wall, according to the brief.

Once in custody, Joseph stated that the victim had “spazzed out” on him and he “went off” in response. He said he blacked out and had no memory of what exactly happened.

Court records show that Joseph pled guilty to two counts of assault with a deadly weapon in 2011 and served 10 years in prison.