People v. Hill CA4/3

FACTS AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

On December 16, 2017, Hill was living with Likens. Hill was 39 years old and Likens was 38 years old. Hill was six feet, two inches tall, and weighed 260 pounds; Likens was five feet, ten inches tall, and weighed 208 pounds. The couple had met about eight months earlier when they were both patients in a Costa Mesa psychiatric hospital. Likens suffered from bipolar disorder. Hill and Likens shared a studio apartment (#209) in Santa Ana, which was located on the second floor above retail businesses. In the adjoining apartment (#210)

1 Further undesignated statutory references are to the Penal Code.

2 lived a woman and her 18-year-old son. The woman had not spoken much to Hill and Likens, other than exchanging pleasantries. The apartments had very thin walls. At about 11:15 a.m., the woman and her son heard yelling and screaming coming from apartment #209. Hill was calling Likens names, such as “‘stupid b*tch.’” The woman heard 15 to 20 blows and heard Likens “screaming at the top of her lungs ‘please help me.’” The woman’s son went to apartment #209 and banged on the door. The son asked if everything was okay and if Likens needed any help. He said,…