SAN MARCOS — A comedic actor’s preliminary hearing for a violent assault on his ex-girlfriend has been confirmed for Feb. 4, a San Diego County prosecutor said Jan. 16 following a readiness conference.
Shelley Mathew Malil, 44, of Sherman Oaks is charged with a single count of attempted murder stemming from the Aug. 10 attack against Kendra Beebe in her home in the 1800 block of Shadetree Drive in San Marcos.
Additional enhancements of premeditated attempted murder, personal use of a deadly weapon, and causing great bodily injury during an incident of domestic violence are also attached to the charge.
Deputy District Attorney Steven Carver said there haven’t been any negotiations for plea offers in the case.
He also said it hasn’t been determined whether Beebe will testify at the preliminary hearing. Carver said she recently underwent additional surgery for injuries sustained from the attack; however, he said he couldn’t elaborate further.
Beebe, a 35-year-old single mother of two young children, was stabbed more than 20 times during back-to-back attacks that left blood stains throughout her house, Carver told a Vista Superior Court judge in August during Malil’s arraignment. Three of the wounds, deep punctures to each lung and her throat, were life-threatening, he said.
If convicted, Malil faces up to life in prison with a minimum parole date of seven years, according to court documents.
Malil has pleaded not guilty to the attempted murder of Beebe.
At the arraignment, Carver told the judge, “He didn’t stop because he wanted to stop, he stopped only because he was interrupted.”
That crucial interruption came from a neighbor, Charlton Lee, whose actions Carver called “heroic.”
Lee told police he came to Beebe’s aid after she’d yelled out from her front patio for help, according to court documents. As Lee approached, he said he saw the actor pointing a knife near Beebe’s abdomen and moving the weapon near her face and throat. Malil told Lee that Beebe had tried to stab him, and then the actor laid down the knife and walked away, court documents state.
Prior to Lee’s intervention, another man, David Maldonado, told police he disarmed the actor of a knife after he showed up unannounced and attacked Beebe while they were talking on her back patio, according to court documents. After throwing the knife over a fence, Maldonado called 911, but had to leave the residence to get Beebe’s street address.
Malil turned himself in Aug. 11. He was arrested at the Oceanside Amtrak station after taking a train down from Los Angeles to meet with his lawyer.
In the film “The 40-Year-Old Virgin,” Mail played a co-worker of Steve Carell’s title character. He also stared in a 2001 Super Bowl commercial for Budweiser and has had bit parts in dozens of TV shows including “ER” and “Seinfeld.”
Malil was convicted in 2005 of a misdemeanor hit-and-run while driving under the influence of alcohol, Carver said.
As for Beebe, in January 2008, a former associate filed a temporary restraining order against her for threatening behavior. However, a Superior Court judge eventually denied the request.
Malil remains in custody in lieu of $3 million bail.
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